


Nothing to Fear

by The_Intuitive_Special



Series: Growing Up Haddock [6]
Category: How to Train Your Dragon (Movies)
Genre: Disease, F/M, Medicine, Plague, Puberty, Sickness, Teenagers, parenting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-12
Updated: 2016-02-12
Packaged: 2018-05-19 21:34:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 20
Words: 111,618
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5981667
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Intuitive_Special/pseuds/The_Intuitive_Special
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Growing Up Haddock Story 6: After a trip to a foreign tribe, a deadly disease begins spreading around Berk at an alarming rate and it's up to Hiccup and his and Astrid's daughter to find the cure before people start dying. Meanwhile, Astrid remains home to act as chief but soon falls victim to the disease, leaving her and Hiccup's son a lot more responsibility.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Away From Home

_This is Berk_

_As Vikings, we have a strong sense of community because we all have to rely on each other. It's reassuring to have neighbors to depend on and lend a helping hand in times of trouble._

_However, not everyone has an easy time of trusting one another. For some, trust doesn't come naturally. For others, it has been broken so many times, they become wary of who to trust and who to avoid. No matter what the reason, betrayed confidence is never taken lightly._

_Unfortunately, we all will betray someone's trust at some point. And though we can pay them back and beg for second chances, we can only pray that they will come to forgive us._

* * *

_The young man smiled sweetly and cupped Darcia's chin in his hand. "You are the most beautiful, kindhearted, special woman I have ever met."_

_Darcia blushed, the urge to look down at her shoes fleeting. "I don't try to be…"_

" _That's the beauty of it though, isn't it?" Bryant smiled. "It's natural. You couldn't fake it if you tried. And that's what makes you amazing… perfect."_

_A laugh escaped her as she tried to look away from his firm gaze. "Why are you being so… sweet?"_

_Bryant shrugged. "It's the truth." His brown eyes glanced down for but a moment until he lifted her chin and carefully leaned forward. Darcia froze, entranced by the feel of his breath ghosting her lips before-_

CREAK!

Adrianna Miracle Haddock jumped on the couch, nearly dropping her book. She scowled at losing her spot on the page when her mother and Benen walked inside from the cold, talking and laughing between themselves. Snowflakes flurried around them as the outside wind gusted through the house. The fire even crackled at the sharp contrast. Adrianna quickly pulled her toes up under legs to conserve the warmth and scanned the page to continue that quite lovely scene before she was so suddenly interrupted. The 13-year-old did her absolute best to hide her annoyance and ignore the adults' conversation still raucously going on behind her.

"Honestly Benen," Astrid Hofferson Haddock was saying. "You don't have to be so sweet. I could have carried it by myself."

Benen, a close elderly friend of the Haddocks, set the basket of groceries on the kitchen table before waving his hand dismissively. "Nonsense! Someone has to be the man around here with yours gone."

Astrid sighed. "I can't wait until they're back. It's too quiet without my boys. Boring…" she considered Benen for a moment before smiling, "The sound of Hiccup's prosthetic fills the house when he's here. It's become a comforting sound more than I ever would have expected."

Benen nodded. "Ahh, even terrible things can become sweet over time. Any idea when they'll be home?"

"His last note came in yesterday. Establishing the Bogs into our system is easier said than done, but their chief Camicazi is confident her people will come around. If there's anything Hiccup loves doing more than flying, it's persuading people that dragons are good. He said they'll hopefully be home in about a week, but it could be longer."

"Good. How's Finn?"

A smile spread across Astrid's face at the mention of her son. Just that morning she'd been making him some new clothes. Fearless Finn Haddock's constant growth spurt didn't seem to be ending anytime soon; surely his clothes would be bursting at the seams by the time he got home. Again. "Hiccup said he's really enjoying himself: meeting a lot of people and learning a thing or two about diplomacy. Well," Astrid scratched her chin idly. "I'm sure he's not enjoying that part… but I doubt he's complaining."

"I wouldn't think so," Benen chuckled. "Do you think he's grown more?"

"No doubt about it. He'll be taller than Hiccup by his next birthday, I'm sure of it. He's already almost as tall as me!" Astrid shook her head as if she couldn't wrap her mind around it. "My little man was never supposed to actually become a man…" Benen laughed again, making her smile. He turned toward the couch to stare at the back of Adrianna's head.

"Then you have that one." Benen nodded to her. "I don't think she's left the house since Erick left."

Astrid sighed. "Pretty much only for flights and meals. If she didn't have her books, I don't know what she'd do. Probably be bored out of her mind… I know I'm bored just watching."

Benen gave her a knowing glance. "Well, why don't you do something with her? Surely she won't say no."

"Well, given how long we've been talking about her and she has yet to notice…" Astrid remarked dryly.

Benen smirked and waltzed to the back of the couch. He gently tugged on Adrianna's ponytail, making her lean closer to her book in slight annoyance. "Stop, I'm just getting to the good part!"

"And what might that be?" Benen leaned over her shoulder and read a few lines. He made a face. "No wonder Finn doesn't like to read."

Adrianna faced him and took in the playful expression. "Fearless Finn doesn't read because Fearless Finn doesn't _want_ to read. Content has nothing to do with the matter," she stated.

The adults chuckled. "She's got a point, Benen."

"That she does." Benen stood up, frowning for a moment when Adrianna turned back to her book. "Well I suppose if you don't want the treat of the week…" He turned to walk away and grinned at Astrid when he audibly heard the book close.

Adrianna jumped up to stand beside him, hand outstretched to accept the small package he pulled out of his satchel. But Benen paused with a look of disbelief. "Good Odin's beard, girl!"

"What?" Adrianna looked down at her plain outfit, touched the lily in her ponytail and ran a hand across her face. Nothing out of place or out of the ordinary. "What is it?"

"You've grown! Look, you're almost as tall as me!" Benen gasped with wide blue eyes.

Adrianna smiled but took in her height. Yes, she had grown taller. Of course she hadn't sprouted enough to notice a big difference like her twin brother, but she could see it.

"And…" Benen paused lightly. "Better be careful or the boys might start chasing after you."

"Why would they-" Adrianna looked down and quite visibly saw the reason for this statement. "Oh." A blush covered her face as her mother and old friend continued to torture her with laughter. Before either could say another word, she held out her hand. "Can I have my goodie now? Please?" She widened her Haddock green eyes pitifully, quite the contrast in color to her puce face.

Benen chuckled and handed over the small paper back. "Of course, Anna."

The young blonde opened the package with some excitement. No matter how old she got, Benen's special goodies from the baker's would never lose their sweetness and excitement. A sweet roll with cinnamon wrapped in a napkin met her eyes and she nearly jumped happily. "Thanks Benen! You're amazing!" Adrianna hugged the old man around the middle, kissed his cheek and skipped to the kitchen to find a plate. "Finn's missing out!"

Benen scoffed. "Oh I'm sure that boy is getting spoiled out of his mind."

"Him and Erick both," Adrianna mused before taking a generous bite out of her roll. She hummed loudly and didn't try to act polite. Astrid watched almost jealously as she devoured the first half of the roll.

"Anna, slow down or you'll get sick."

"Sorry, I haven't had one in a long time," The girl apologized through a full mouth and unabashedly licked her lips clean of the creamy frosting. Adrianna smiled at her mother's scowl—everyone knew Astrid had a sweet tooth that she very thankfully inherited.

"Now now, don't be a sour puss. I wouldn't forget the second of my two favorite girls!" Benen remarked as he pulled out a second package and held it out to Astrid, who gaped at him.

"Benen, how much-"

"Ah!" Benen stopped her with a single finger. "A gift is a gift. Free. Take it."

Astrid cocked an eyebrow at him before taking the package. But before he could step away she enveloped him in a tight hug. "Where would we be without you, Benen?"

"Oh no," Benen shook his head as he hugged her back. "Where would I be without all of you?"

Astrid pulled back with a wide smile. She didn't answer; she didn't have to. "Stay for dinner?"

"Absolutely!"

"Perfect! I'm making stew and rolls." Astrid said as she sauntered to the kitchen.

Adrianna's eyes opened wide. She asked with an again full mouth, "Wiff garlic budder?"

Astrid eyed her daughter's terrible manners before catching the sparkle in her eyes. Just like Hiccup's. "Oh yes, with garlic butter."

"Yes! Dad AND Finn are missing out!" Astrid and Benen laughed again, the latter ruffling her hair.

"So." Benen stated blankly before wiping a smudge of frosting off Adrianna's lip. "Do you miss Erick?"

Adrianna raised an eyebrow. "Do you miss spring?"

"Ha! Touché."

Adrianna narrowed her eyes at Benen's bright, teasing expression. Instead she focused on Astrid cutting potatoes on the other side of the counter. "We're just friends. I don't know why anyone acts different."

"Well," Benen attempted to stop his grin. "I suspect your parents were good friends for a time before they got-"

"Don't. Say it. Benen." The teenager interrupted promptly and Benen couldn't withhold the grin any longer. The girl's eyes narrowed to slits once again before she smiled sweetly. "All right. Have your fun. But I'm going back to my book now."

Benen watched her fling her long ponytail over her shoulder and march back to the couch. "Oh it's all right," he called after her. "That book will probably teach you more about love than I ever will anyway."

"I seriously doubt that." Astrid muttered to the carrots she was mercilessly chopping.

Benen patted her wrist. "All in good time, Astrid. All in good time."

* * *

" _Doctor," Rory said warningly, eyeing the entrance._

_Restac was lying on the dirt on one elbow, looking murderous. She seemed barely conscious._

" _She was there when the gas started. She must have been poisoned." Amy told them, not taking her eyes off the firearm in the Siluran's hand._

" _You!" Restac cried furiously._

" _Okay, get in the TARDIS, both of you." the Doctor said, stepping toward the blue box while keeping his eyes fixed on the lone Silurian. He put his hand in his pocket and grasped the sonic screwdriver._

" _You did this!" Restac immediately pointed the firearm directly at the Doctor and fired._

" _DOCTOR!" Rory bolted forward, shoving the Time Lord out of the way._

_The blast seemed to go in slow motion from the firearm into Rory's chest. Amy felt frozen to the spot as he let out a scream and collapsed on the ground just as Restac finally succumbed to the poison._

"No!" Erick yelped.

Four pairs of eyes immediately fixed themselves on the nearly 15-year-old boy, who was staring at the blue book in his hands with wide eyes. Three sighs of exasperation soon followed this outburst but Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III bounded out of his chair and looked over Erick's shoulder with interest.

"Rory's second death... that's a good one." he said enthusiastically as he scanned the page.

Olaf Larson stared at his son with a raised eyebrow. "Rory... who?"

Finn rolled his eyes. "That guy from the stupid book dad and Anna have read a thousand times."

Both of Olaf's eyebrows were raised, now in surprise. "Really? They've got you reading it too?"

Erick's teal eyes lit up as he recalled the utterly fascinating book that he'd been reading for the entire trip whenever he could. "Yeah, and it's getting really good! Last chapter was my favorite. See, there was this Dream Lord and he put the characters in these two universes and made them choose between-"

Olaf held up a hand. "I'm already lost."

"Ooh, Amy's Choice! I loved that one!" Hiccup paused for a moment before smiling fondly. "You know, that was Addie's favorite too."

"What was yours?" Erick asked his best friend's father.

"The Lodger. You'll get there." Hiccup patted Erick's shoulder before going back to his chair near the fire pit.

Horst shook his head at the two readers. "Okay, enough book talk before we all get hopelessly lost." he said with a chuckle. He then focused on Erick. "So you and Anna have the same interests, do you?"

"It's not... you know it's not like that." Erick's face quickly turned vermilion.

Olaf leaned back in his wheeled chair, folding his hands on his lap and giving Erick a very amused look. "Oh _really_?"

Finn let out a laugh. "Even _I_ see it."

"Can we change the subject? I'm not too keen on talking about my daughter's love life." Hiccup gave them all his most authoritative look (which he'd been working on for months without any real progress).

"Hey!"

" _Potential_ love life, then." Hiccup corrected.

"Suits me fine." Erick's face began to return to its original color. He sighed deeply. "When will we start heading home?"

"I'm not sure yet." Hiccup replied, looking slightly exasperated. "Camicazi's close for sure but she's got a _lot_ of questions and it doesn't help that she keeps trying to engage me in sword fighting in the process."

Olaf chuckled at this statement. Camicazi was definitely a piece of work. "Maybe you can negotiate while attempting to stab each other."

" _That's_ not dangerous at all." Hiccup deadpanned.

Horst stared at his chief thoughtfully. "I don't know, Hiccup. It's not a bad idea."

Hiccup shrugged. "In theory, no, but it's a bad idea for me. Can't risk this leg getting any worse." he gestured to the prosthetic attached to his left leg.

Olaf waved his hand as if to wave away Hiccup's concern. "You've been doing fine these last few years."

"It still hurts sometimes." Hiccup looked saddened for a moment but soon brightened up. "I don't want to get into any unnecessary fighting. I've got a village to run. Let someone else have all that glory. I don't need it."

Finn jumped to his feet. "I'll fight her!"

Hiccup gazed at his tall, muscular son. The boy certainly looked like he could take on a woman Camicazi's size in any kind of duel. The more Finn grew older, the more it seemed like Stoick the Vast lived once more. His thick, red hair grew so fast, his mother had to cut it once a week, and even that was almost futile as it seemed to grow in all directions as well. His voice, which had started changing not long before, was right in the middle of the awkward stage but when he spoke in the lower voice he was now acquiring without it cracking horribly, his grandfather's booming voice emerged from his vocal cords.

Hiccup shook his head and laughed a bit at the boy's suggestion. "It's good that you're showing initiative but she's the best sword fighter on this side of the archipelago. You'd be pummeled for sure."

Finn suddenly looked indignant. "I would not!"

"Yes you would." Horst added. "You need more practice."

Finn sat back down and crossed his arms across his chest. "Always with the practicing."

Before anyone could give Finn cliché advice about how practicing would only improve his skills, the door to the guest house Camicazi had reserved for them burst open and a snow-covered, bundled up Snotlout stomped in. He quickly shut the door behind him before any more snow got into the house.

"It's _freezing_." he griped at no one in particular. "I hate this place. At least Berk isn't as windy when it's negative twenty degrees."

Hiccup snorted. "Tell me, Snotlout, do you feel _submerged_ in this frigid weather?"

"Yeah." Finn added with a cackle. "At least you had your coat to _shield_ you from the wind."

Everyone burst out laughing. Snotlout glared at the lot of them.

"I hate you all." he grumbled as he hung his coat on the hook.

"No you don't." Hiccup said between guffaws. "We make your life interesting."

Snotlout certainly had a good reason to scowl at the laughing men in front of him. As they had arrived at the island of the Bog Burglars, he had been bragging about how he could win in a fight against any of the members of the foreign tribe (since most of the warriors were women). As he did so, he hopped on the edge of the ship and walked around, pointing his sword at various people and cutting random, unimportant objects that were within his reach. He showed quite a few excellent moves but, unfortunately, not quite as excellent balance. The ship lurched and the burly man immediately toppled off the edge with a high pitched yelp of surprise, his balance thrown off by the heavy shield in his other hand. Hookfang, who had been helping the other dragons thaw the ice around the ship so that it would move despite the ocean being frozen over, hesitated before finally leaning over and plucking the freezing cold and completely soaked Snotlout out of the water. The laughter that followed wasn't merely from the Hooligans. The Bog Burglars, who had gathered to greet the Hooligans as they docked, had also witnessed the incident. Snotlout had been given dry clothes and plenty of time in front of the fire so he suffered no ill effects. Camicazi, on the other hand, burst out laughing every single time she'd seen him the entire duration of the trip thus far.

Snotlout waited until his fellow Hooligans were finished laughing before turning to look at Finn, who was clearly in charge of cooking the fish and vegetables over the fire. He smirked.

"So Finn's cooking again, is he?" he asked as he sauntered over and sat down.

"He's very good at it." Hiccup patted the boy's shoulder. "My son the chef."

Finn rolled his eyes as the laughter was now directed at him. He had discovered a talent for cooking fairly recently and was now called upon to do most of it while staying on the foreign island since no one else had the knack for it that he had.

"That better not leave this house." he huffed.

"What, that my son can feed people decent food?" Hiccup asked with a shrug.

"Yes." Finn said through his teeth.

"Oh, I'm sure your future wife will appreciate it all the times she births your children and she can't do anything." Hiccup chortled.

Finn's face suddenly turned as red as his hair. " _Dad_!"

Erick's distinct laugh became quite audible over the others' at this outburst. Olaf rounded on him.

"Don't you laugh, mister. It could apply to you too one day." he patted his son's knee.

Erick rolled his eyes. "I don't cook."

"Neither do I." Finn winked at the fellow teenager.

"No funny business now." Hiccup stated quite seriously. "That's my baby we're talking about."

"And what about _me_?" Finn asked in mock offense.

"I'll let your mother deal with it." Hiccup replied, rubbing his hands together. "I wash my hands of you and your scandalous cooking traits."

Uproarious laughter followed this statement. As Finn finally finished the stew he was making, he began to pass out bowls, offering the ladle to each Viking in turn. Erick was the last to be served because he was busy frowning at Hiccup.

"Don't make assumptions about stuff like that." he said as calmly as he could. "Who knows what the future has for us?"

"Everyone." Olaf piped up immediately. "At least concerning yours and Miss Haddock's."

"Don't I know it." Hiccup grumbled.

He didn't like thinking about his daughter growing up and bringing home boys. He'd put up a bit of a fuss when he had found Astrid adjusting one of her old bras so it would fit their daughter. It had seemed like yesterday that he had been rocking her to sleep or chasing her around the house on his hands and knees.

Erick rolled his eyes in response to Olaf's comment. "Whatever gave you guys these assumptions to begin with?"

"You were holding hands when she was three." Finn shook his head with a smile. "You started early, man. I thought I was the macho one."

"What-"

"You've been best friends for ten years." Hiccup added.

"Really?" Erick hadn't bothered to count but it certainly hadn't felt like it had been ten years. But now that he did the math in his head, he was shocked to realize that Hiccup was right.

Horst let out a booming laugh at his apprentice's embarrassment. "And then you stare at her every time she walks by the shop. Can't get you to focus."

"That's not true!" Erick yelped. "Mostly..."

Snotlout snorted in amusement. "I am surprised they haven't kissed yet."

"NO!" shouted Hiccup.

"Oh, Hiccup, you've got to be ready for that." Olaf told him sympathetically. "She's thirteen."

"She's still a kid." Hiccup sighed deeply. "Though honestly, I still feel like a kid."

"Hate to break it to you dad..." Finn began.

"No, really! I don't... _feel_ old." Hiccup insisted.

"It will catch up to you fast." Olaf told him.

Horst's eyes flitted to the prosthetic. "Unfortunately, you are facing some effects already and you _aren't_ that old."'

"Well that's different." Hiccup crossed his bad leg over his good one. "Not age, just being an amputee."

"What was it like? Waking up without a leg, I mean." Erick's eyes immediately turned away and he looked rather embarrassed at asking such a personal question.

"It's fine, Erick. It was a long time ago." Hiccup assured him.

"Actually, I want to know too. What _was_ it like?" Finn asked with interest.

Hiccup was silent for a while, gently patting his sleeping dragon's snout. Toothless had snuggled next to his hip after he had sat down.

"Different. Strange. But I accepted it quickly."

"Why?" Finn scooted closer. "Weren't you mad?"

Hiccup shrugged. "Mad? Not really. A bit sad? Definitely. I went through a grieving process of sorts. But there was no sense in being angry about it. I couldn't get it back, just like Toothless can't get his fin back." he rubbed the Night Fury's head and scratched behind the ears. "But I helped Toothless fly again after permanently injuring him. And he helped me walk again after saving me. I was alive and I had my best friend. I had nothing to gripe about in the end." he suddenly scowled. "At least for the summer. That first winter... man, that was bad."

"And your big growth spurt." Snotlout added helpfully. "I remember you were out for the count for a while."

"That was really, _really_ bad." Hiccup cringed at the memory.

"Why?" asked Finn."

"Think about it... your brain is telling your body to grow but some of it is missing." Hiccup explained. "What was left grew but it was beyond painful. So let that be a lesson to the both of you." he addressed both Finn and Erick. "Don't lose a foot while you're still growing."

"Duly noted, chief." Erick said with a nod.

Horst stretched and yawned, his back making odd cracking sounds as he did so. "I think it's about time I went to bed. Long day tomorrow."

"Tell me about it." Hiccup slowly stood up. "I think it's time for us to turn in, Finn."

Finn, who was most definitely a morning person, nodded and followed his father to the room they shared. Hiccup heard the others getting up and going to their respective rooms, Olaf with Erick and Horst with Snotlout. As he settled into the bed, which was comfortable enough, Hiccup felt a small ache at the memory of his bed at home. How he wished he could fall asleep snuggled up to his wife and listening to her deep breathing. He missed her and Adrianna very much but hopefully he would be seeing them soon. After all, Camicazi would see reason. Dragons were good, they would join forces, and he'd find some way to avoid sword fighting with her.

As his body finally relaxed and sleep began to overcome him, he promised himself that he would be home for Snoggletog, which was one week away. Yes, he would make sure everything was cleared up until then. He finally fell asleep thinking that he was going to have to work quite a bit harder to make this a reality. But for the two most important women in his life, he could do anything.


	2. The Talk

Shrill, raucous laughter filled the Hall at an agonizing pitch. Hiccup gritted his teeth to keep his expression neutral; Finn, however, didn't have any qualms about putting his hands over his ears on occasion. Yes, the Bog Burglars were quite the rowdy bunch… a rowdy bunch of _females_ for that matter.

Hiccup observed his people mingled with the Bogs, everyone trying to prove themselves in either conversation or might, whether that be in arm wrestling or plans to duel after the meetings. Glancing at his son, Hiccup gently bumped his elbow into Finn's ribs. Finn glowered and sat up straighter. Hiccup stifled the bubble of laughter and focused back on the group. They'd been waiting for Camicazi to show up for nearly forty-five minutes, but that was another thing about the Bogs. They showed up when they felt like it, regardless of the chosen time of arrival. Thus, Hiccup allowed Finn to sleep in a little bit longer than he normally would have. He knew Cami would be late, so there was no point in showing up early.

Today was the day Camicazi and her council would decide whether or not to incorporate dragons into their way of life. And by extension, sign a Treaty to join the allied forces of the Archipelago—mainly the Hooligans, Runians and Meatheads. These three tribes had been trying for decades to join forces with the Bogs to no avail. Being the first to ever make any serious headway, Hiccup was beside himself with nerves, though he did his best not to show it. Only those who knew him best could tell. Finn could tell by the way he crossed and uncrossed his arms almost constantly, shifted his gaze around the room at a constant rate, and tapped his prosthetic against the stone floor.

"Dad, relax. They're going to sign the document."

Hiccup glanced down at Finn, letting his anxiousness show for a moment. He didn't respond for a long moment. "It's not just the document, buddy. It's having them as allies if something were to happen. Knowing that without a shadow of a doubt that we can trust them to cover our-" A shiver ran up Hiccup's spine at that moment. Grabbing a dagger from his belt, he whipped around to clash it against another. Camicazi stood there with a triumphant, mildly impressed smirk on her face. "…backs."

Finn stared at the small, blonde female with wide eyes, while Hiccup narrowed his at her suspiciously. "What exactly are you doing?"

Camicazi laughed as shrilly as her villagers around them. "You're much harder to rob than I expected."

"Rob?" Hiccup and Finn asked simultaneously.

Cami withdrew her dagger, sheathing it noisily. "Yeah. A friend dared me to steal your prosthetic without you noticing. It's a shame you were quick to notice me before I could even make a move."

Hiccup also sheathed his dagger, replying with a flat expression. "I'm sure you would have been so successful." With a sigh to lower his inner defenses, he added, "I'm quicker on my feet than people give me credit for."

"Foot." Camicazi gazed down at his peg leg with interest. "I still can't believe you lost that thing at fifteen. It must've been _amazing_!"

Hiccup snorted. "Yeah, _amazing._ " Finn snickered.

"Mostly I am surprised that you survived, being a guy after all. Men are wimps when it comes to serious injury. Yet here you stand in one piece! Kudos to you on that one. You're still not as awesome as me and my ladies, but you're on the right track."

Finn promptly snorted at his dad's failed attempt to hide his deadpan. Hiccup quickly rebounded by replying, "Well I'll certainly look forward to working with you in the future then. Surely I can learn a thing or two from you."

"Oh please," Camicazi waved her hand. "Your compliments are meager in comparison to the sheer magnitude of my glory!" She waved her hands over her head dramatically toward the ceiling, before stifling a laugh at the Haddocks' confused, weirded-out expressions. Landing a punch on Hiccup's arm, she said, "Seriously, I'm kidding. Lighten up! And just look at _you_!" Cami ignored Hiccup's whining and reached forward to pinch Finn's cheeks in her hands. "Oh he's so cute, I could just keep him forever! But alas, you're a male and males don't stick around with the Bogs for very long."

Finn wiggled out of her tight grasp, massaging his face with his hand. But he smirked, "I can't see why. They're missing out."

"Finn…" Hiccup choked, looking away with an embarrassed smile. Sure, Camicazi wasn't too much younger than Hiccup, but that was still quite an age gap for Finn to be hitting on.

Camicazi shot Hiccup an impressed look. "Your son's got guts, I'll give him that!" Then her gaze turned roguish and she jabbed a finger into Finn's stomach. "Right in there! Hahahahaha! Your face!"

"Ow." Finn whined, rubbing the spot on his belly while Camicazi continued to laugh. She was gorgeous and wild and tough… he found he kind of liked it. But it also frightened him a bit. At the same time, he was a bit wild himself… whoever he ended up with needed to keep up with him, after all!

Camicazi wiped her eyes presently with a loud sigh. "I'm sure you haven't been poked in the belly since you were a toddler. How do you feel?"

Finn cocked his head in a short nod. "Aside from the growing welt on my stomach, I feel great."

"Perfect! Now, enough chit chat. Let's get this party started." With a swift turn on her heel, Camicazi stuck two fingers in her mouth and whistled high into the crowd. The Bogs instantly quieted and turned toward her to hear what she had to say. Hiccup jealously wished he could gain his peoples' attention that fast.

"All-righty my lovely crazies," Camicazi began. "I think it's high time we stopped wasting time and put our time to good use! For decades we've been nagged and we've bragged and been nagged some more, and hey because we could, we bragged some more. Maybe it's time for some change! I've perused through the Hooligans' terms of the Treaty with the Allies, and I agree with them wholeheartedly, as does the council. From this day forward we will hereby call any one of the allied tribes our friends. Any breaking of those terms on an island's part against us, and the Treaty will be forfeited and a war will probably start, yada yada. Also, the killing of dragons will hereby be outlawed, and we will have a couple Hooligan representatives stay with us (preferably single females, mind you) for some time to help us train our first dragons. Dragons are now and forever our friends, and we will not use them for combat purposes only. Have I said all the things?" Camicazi asked her council hovering behind her. The group of stiff women nodded, and she clapped her hands. "Good because all this formal talk is boring. Bring me the document!"

A couple men on the Hooligans' council stepped forward with the scroll, feather pen and ink well. Camicazi signed her name with a flourish and promptly landed a solid punch on Hiccup's shoulder.

"Ow!"

"Oh don't be a wuss, it's part of the Bogs' agreement to be friends. As is this," Camicazi faced the palm of her hand, hacked a large gob of spit into it and held it out to Hiccup, who stared at it dumbly. Finn snickered and elbowed his dad in the ribs.

"Uhh… what-" Hiccup started.

Camicazi sighed. "My faith in you is already depleting. It's a spit shake. Seriously, you've never done a spit shake before?"

Hiccup cringed. "I tend to enjoy good health, thank you very much."

"Because good health has anything to do with your spit and hands. Really now, don't be so dense."

"That's so gross! Do I seriously-"

Finn stepped forward. "I'll do it."

Hiccup nudged him away. "No, you just want to hold her hand."

Finn shrugged. "So?"

Hiccup gave him the stink eye, to which Finn grinned. The Hooligan chief promptly spit in his hand, paused, and finally shook hands with Camicazi. Apparently that sealed the deal more than any document, for the Bog Burglars all erupted with cheers and cups of mead slamming against the table tops. Hiccup quickly plunged his hand into the nearest water bucket and wiped it clean as vigorously as possible.

Camicazi watched on with confusion. "You know, for growing up the blacksmith's apprentice, you sure are a clean freak… I like it! It's weird and confusing and awesome at the same time. Like how-" Hiccup continued to wipe off his hand with precise movements as Camicazi rambled to whoever listened about the strange yet attractiveness of how fierce bears loved sweet things, like honey and sugar. He honestly wondered how she found him strange when she herself was quite strange in so many other ways than he was. Some things, he'd never understand…

Like how Finn stared at her with rapt attention. Oh no. Ohhhh no. He'd better stop _that_ particular crush or Thor save them all. Fearless Finn Haddock with Camicazi the Crazy? Age difference had to be the least of the issues in that particular case.

Hiccup's thoughts came to a halt when his center of balance suddenly shifted and he toppled toward the left, nearly ramming into a table. Footsteps and laughter were quickly diminishing and Hiccup didn't have to ask or be told what had happened.

Sitting on the bench and trying to ignore his son's uproarious laughter, he called after Camicazi, "You don't win the dare because I _definitely_ noticed!" Camicazi kept on running until she had long left the Hall with Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III's prosthetic held over her head in victory.

"Finn? Help your old man out?" Hiccup asked with wide green eyes.

Finn smirked devilishly. "Only because this means extra one on one time with Camicazi."

Hiccup blanched while his son began to march toward the Hall door with purpose. In that moment, he sorely wished he had his other leg. If he'd had his other leg, Camicazi never would've been dared to steal it. If she hadn't been dared to steal it, she wouldn't have actually stolen it and run into the far reaches of her village with it. And thus, if he had his other leg, Hiccup wouldn't be watching his son march after her with absolute purpose to "find" it.

"Ohhhh gods help us all."

* * *

"Mom..." Adrianna called timidly from the back door.

"I'm in here!" Astrid called as she sat on the couch mending more of Finn's clothes. "Right where I was two minutes ago." she mumbled as shook her head. That girl could be so scatterbrained that she'd forget her head if it wasn't attached.

As she sewed, Astrid listened and counted the footsteps drawing nearer through the kitchen towards her. Yet, they seemed to stop short. Maternal curiosity engaged, she glanced up, and as she took in the sight of her daughter, she slowly put down the shirt she was mending. Adrianna stood stiffly at the other side of the room, her arms close to her sides and keeping her shirt pulled down with her legs locked together but what concerned Astrid the most was her daughter's pale face and her bright eyes wide with fear. She had gone to use the outhouse but it looked like she'd seen a ghost on the way there. Or _something_.

"What's wrong?"

The girl hesitated before answering, in a very soft voice, "I need new laundry."

Astrid's eyebrows furrowed. She looked her daughter up and down. "Why? Your clothes look clean to me."

"Well…" Adrianna looked mortified, "they're not exactly clean… underneath..."

It took Astrid several seconds to figure out what Adrianna was talking about. Her eyes widened. She was honestly surprised this hadn't happened sooner, come to think of it.

"Oh... well let me go upstairs and grab something to help with that." she acknowledged before practically flying up the stairs and opening the one dresser drawer that Hiccup wouldn't even touch.

* * *

It was a long time before Finn had chased down Camicazi and wrestled Hiccup's foot out of her grasp. And it took even longer to get back to Hiccup so that he could return it without being attacked by the Bog Burglar's chief. But after the laughter had subsided and Camicazi finally allowed Hiccup to keep his limb, both Hiccup and Finn had had enough of the Bog Burglars for the day. And so they immediately retreated from the Great Hall.

As they braved the frigid winter weather side by side, Hiccup wrapped his left arm around his son's shoulders. Surprised by the touch, the teen glanced up to his father in awkward confusion.

"Uh... why are you being so affectionate?" Finn asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Affectionate? Do you have something against a father's embrace?" Hiccup squeezed the redhead's shoulder as he smiled down. "Actually, I was planning on having a father-son talk with you during this trip and put it off _way_ too long."

"But… we have talked." said Finn suspiciously.

"Not about this. You're becoming a man now, Finn, and with that comes some changes-"

The teen stopped abruptly and turned to better face his father. "Woah, hey now," he put up his hands defensively, "we already talked about that stuff!" Finn extended his arms trying to push the subject as far away from him as possible. "I know my body's changing so we don't have to go into _that_ again."

"No, not _that_ talk." Hiccup shuddered. "I agree; telling you everything the first time was awkward enough." he patted the boy's shoulder. "But there are more changes than just physical ones. Why don't we find a good place to sit down, preferably out of the cold. Then we can talk." He began to scan the village square for a good location.

Finn ignored the last part. Truthfully, he was focused on something else. "What other changes are there?" the teen asked with a frown; he had a feeling this was going to be every bit as uncomfortable as the first talk.

Hiccup ruffled his son's hair as they walked. "Girls."

* * *

"It _hurts_." Adrianna wailed, her hands on her abdomen. "Nobody told me it was going to hurt."

"The tea's almost ready, Adri. Just hang in there." Astrid crushed some herbs and expertly mixed them into the hot water. Years of practice had made her something of an expert at this. "You're going to be really irregular for a while and with varying degrees of discomfort but make sure you have these herbs on hand."

" _Why_ does it hurt?" the girl slumped over on the couch and moaned. "Why is being a woman so uncomfortable?"

"Maybe the gods have it out for us." Astrid handed her daughter a cup of tea which, thankfully, had a rather pleasant taste. "But you get used to it. Really, as long as you drink this when you start to feel it coming on, it's not too difficult to deal with."

"That's comforting." Adrianna said irritably before taking a sip of the tea. "I'll be sure to remember that as I lie here imploding."

"Don't be so melodramatic. Just keep drinking your tea." Astrid felt a sudden surge of amusement for some reason. "And I guess this means I'm going to have to talk to you about boys now."

Hiccup would have been proud to see the way their daughter reacted. Although Astrid probably should have waited until Adrianna had swallowed the generous sip of tea she'd sipped because it was suddenly dribbling down her chin as she coughed. Rather than swallowing her mouthful, she had promptly inhaled it. Astrid waited for her to stop hacking before continuing.

* * *

" _Why_ would you tell me that?!" Finn remarked absolutely horrified. His scarlet face was buried in his hands. He was wrong. This talk was even more embarrassing than the first. "Was that really necessary?"

"Absolutely and unfortunately. Finn, this is all a natural process and we have to be sensitive to the needs of the women in our lives during this time. Well… their time." Hiccup patted his son's back. "But I agree, it's not pleasant."

"I had no idea girls had it so _rough_." the teen shook his head as if trying to cast out this new information.

Hiccup put a hand on Finn's shoulder. "Oh, no. There's more."

If only Astrid could have seen the horrified expression cross their son's face…

* * *

"We _really_ don't have to talk about this, Mom." Adrianna choked. "I'm not... I mean most boys are annoying. I don't need to know any more about them than I already know."

"Actually you do." Astrid got down on her knees in front of the couch so she could look her daughter in the eye. "Because boys can be... tricky."

"Tricky how?" Adrianna bit her lip. She wasn't liking where this was going but at least the tea was taking effect.

"At your age, boys are also going through a lot of changes. I'm not going to go into the physical ones, you already know about the changing voice and everything else that happens really isn't important right now. However, they also go through a lot of mental changes and that's where a lot of girls get confused."'

"Oh really?" Adrianna raised an eyebrow. "Usually they just pretend to beat each other up."

Astrid laughed. "Yeah, they do a lot of dumb things at that age. But my point is, you need to save yourself for the right guy. And I don't mean just physically. There are guys out there who break hearts and are completely okay with it."

"And how do I know if a guy is the wrong guy?" Adrianna asked, finally starting to see the point to this discussion.

"Well... the wrong guy won't make you feel like you're worth his time. He'll force you to do things you don't want to do." Astrid finally sat down on the couch next to her daughter. "The right guy will make you feel special. He'll make you feel loved. So wait for him. I promise you, it'll be worth it."

Adrianna mulled this information over for a few seconds. "I think I understand."

"Good." Astrid patted her on the back. "Go ahead and finish your book. Oh, one more thing." she added. "Make sure you don't fly unless you feel up to it. I know from experience that flying with cramps is _not_ pleasant."

Adrianna's hand made its way to her abdomen as a wave of discomfort overcame it for a second. "Trust me, flying is the last thing on my mind right now." she took another sip of tea. "Nice chat." she said quickly before grabbing her book and running from the room.

* * *

"So what am I supposed to do about it?" Finn looked up to his father scared at the answer to his question. "Do I even _want_ to know?"

"Well, first of all, if you see anything, hear anything, don't say it. Nothing. Don't even look at it. Just be very, very nice. Act like a gentlemen. For instance, your mother and sister may talk about cinnamon." Hiccup smiled. "Your mom seems to like that herb. I'm not quite sure why but it always makes her feel better. His face fell. "But this is going to be rough on Addie when it happens to her so you have to be delicate. She's probably going to be more emotional and more irritable."

"Is that even possible?" Finn deadpanned. "Because she's already a basket case. I'm still not sure we're related."

"Trust me, I was there. You're related." Hiccup chuckled. "It won't be easy. Your sister is going to seem a lot more weak and dainty than she used to be. Don't make fun of her for that. Don't expect her or force her to become tougher like you. You need to remember that she is becoming a young lady like you are becoming a young man. _If_ you act properly. Women are precious. Not all are delicate but all need to be respected, listened to and cared for in their own way." Hiccup paused as he repositioned in his seat, "But it's not just girls who go through emotional changes like this."

"Oh, no." Finn buried his head in his hands. "Not this _again_."

Hiccup continued. "I'm not going to go over the physical stuff because you know all that."

"I know too much of the physical stuff!" The teen wailed waving his arms about him.

"However," Hiccup pulled out the word, trying to regain his son's attention, "as your body is changing, it begins to mess with your mind. It'll affect the way you behave, how look at things,… how you look at people. For instance, I've noticed you starting to look at some of the girls."

"What?! _No_!" Hiccup smiled at Finn's immediate denial (and the boy's voice cracking on the second word). "No, I don't..."

"It's okay, Finn," He put a hand on the young man's shoulder, "that's normal. You're getting to the age when guys see girls differently."

"Yeah, I think we discussed that already." Finn deadpanned. How he longed for this conversation to end.

"When guys become interested in girls. And that's fine but it's also dangerous." Hiccup sighed. "Look... okay, this is kind of difficult to talk about and I can tell you aren't going to be like I was when I was going through this phase, but you're going to start being tempted to... push boundaries with women. And I'm not saying you shouldn't figure a few things out on your own. But there are some boundaries that shouldn't be pushed."

"Boundaries?" Finn asked, somewhat curious despite himself.

Hiccup continued. "I don't want you to shy away from having girlfriends. No, wait, friends that are girls. Plural. Not having many girlfriends, that would be…" Hiccup looked to Finn who just stared at him. "I want you to have a girlfriend, I want you to be friends with girls and not be afraid of women. But you need to respect them. Some cultures see them as inferior. We Hooligans don't. And I don't want to see you or _ever_ hear of you treating them like they are lesser. We're different, definitely, but we're equal. We each have a different role to play but the role we play is just as important as the other."

"Okay…" Finn sighed. "What does this have to do with me?"

"Finn," Hiccup put both hands on his son's shoulders and looked him straight in the eyes, "Do not force your way, or your wants on women. You will become a strong man, I can tell, but your momentary desires and the power you hold with your intimidating stature does not allow you to use women, mistreat them, and push yourself upon them. Do you understand me?"

The redhead nodded. "Yes, Dad."

As he stared into Finn's intensely blue eyes, Hiccup could only hope and pray that the issue would never resurface. As he leaned back in the chair, and observed how much his little boy had grown, fatherly pride and love swelled within him. He couldn't help but smile.

Moments later, he ruffled his son's vibrant red hair, which caused Finn to duck and smile. "Come on, let's go."

* * *

"So... what does this mean?" Benen's voice sounded slightly timid as he buttoned his shirt back up.

Mara, Berk's healer, sighed deeply. "Nothing if you're careful. Don't overexert yourself and be sure to eat right. But at your age... it might be a good idea to get your affairs in order just in case."

Benen smiled weakly. "I am glad I have the time to think about such things. Thank you, Mara, for telling me. But please do me one favor."

"Yes?"

"I'd like to wait until after Snoggletog to tell anyone." the elderly man stood from the chair and headed toward the door. "But I shall heed your advice. You have been so good to me these last six years. I really do appreciate what you've done."

"I haven't done anything, really. Just my job. You're the one who has made a difference here." Mara smiled back at him. "Please keep yourself alive as long as you can."

Benen laughed. "I'm 66 years old. I make no promises. But I will give it my best effort."

After thanking the healer again, the amiable and peaceful elderly man headed home. Genuinely thankful for the time he'd had on Berk rather than the limited time remaining, Benen couldn't help but smile. He took a deep breath of the crisp air and thanked the gods for these years of freedom and for the close friends he had made in what had become the happiest time of his life.


	3. Home Sweet Home

Finn wasn't the only person who was sad to leave the Bog Burglars at the end of the week. With the treaty signed and the terms of the alliance discussed down to the last agonizingly boring detail, it was finally time for the Hooligans to fly home and hopefully surprise everyone by being home for Snoggletog. But it was clear that the Bog Burglars had rather liked having the Berkians around, if not just for their own entertainment. Camicazi in particular seemed most disappointed.

"You will be coming back, won't you?" she asked as they prepared their dragons for the long flight home (they'd be leaving the ships on the Bog Burglar island). "You're not so bad, you know. For men, of course."

"You're not so bad yours- _hrumph_!" Finn began before he was elbowed in the ribs by his sheepish looking father.

"Oh, I have a feeling we'll be seeing each other again." Hiccup said in a rather loud voice so his son wouldn't attempt to interrupt.

"But not _too_ soon. You are bringing us single women to help us train, aren't you? Men don't usually last so long here. I mean the ones we have now will probably head for the hills any day now. They all do." Camicazi shrugged.

"I can't see why." Finn winked at the Bog Burglar chief and ducked before his father could smack him on the shoulder to shut him up. "This has been the best two weeks of my life!"

"Oh, you are too adorable!" Camicazi laughed. "But _you..._ " she turned to Hiccup. "It's a good thing you're married because those green eyes are pulling me in!"

Those green eyes widened and became a sharp contrast to the bright red blush on their owner's face. Finn sighed heavily. He just _had_ to inherit his mother's eyes instead of his father's.

"We should probably get a move on." said Snotlout as he secured his last items onto his dragon. "We're already going to be back really late tonight."

"Now _you_ should stay. You're the best kind of entertainment!" Camicazi continued to chuckle long after a furiously blushing Snotlout turned back to his dragon. "It has been a pleasure working with you. And I don't usually say that. Especially to men, of all people."

She spat on her hand and extended it to Hiccup. The Hooligan chief made a face but did the same and shook her hand. He immediately wiped his hand off on his shirt as Finn rolled his eyes. What he wouldn't give for an opportunity like that...

"Well you should be on your way. Goodbye then!" Camicazi immediately jumped back and waved.

"Ah ah, are you forgetting something?" Hiccup narrowed his eyes and held out his other hand.

"I don't know what you're talking about." the Bog Burglar chief said unconvincingly.

"I think you do. Give it back." Hiccup wiggled his fingers impatiently. "That was going to be a gift for my daughter."

"Ohh... fine." Camicazi grabbed a small book out of her pocket and placed it in Hiccup's hand. "I can't imagine why she'd want this."

"Neither can I." Finn mumbled as he tied a few more things onto Thornado.

"She's a special girl." Hiccup said proudly, immediately pocketing the little book. "Perhaps you'll meet her one day."

"I hope so!" Camicazi exclaimed excitedly.

"You wouldn't like her." Finn said, turning back to face the female chief. "She's not your kind of Viking. No stealth. And couldn't steal a sweet from a baby if her life depended on it."

" _Finn_." Hiccup turned and glared at his son. The teenager turned back to his dragon.

"She is a bit different." piped up Erick, who hadn't been paying much attention until Adrianna had been brought up. "But she really is something else."

"So she takes after you, does she?" Camicazi patted her still spit covered hand on Hiccup's cheek, making him recoil slightly.

"Yes she does." Hiccup took several steps back and placed a hand on Toothless' snout. "And I should really be getting home to her and Astrid."

"Yes, yes, mustn't keep the Haddock women waiting." Camicazi said cheerfully.

Hiccup decided not to comment on the fact that the Bog Burglars seemed to thrive on making everyone wait but he held back. He smiled as he mounted the Night Fury (who hadn't taken a liking to Camicazi, for whatever reason).

"It's been great meeting you. Really." Hiccup hoped he didn't come off as sarcastic since this really was a lot better than some of his time on other foreign islands. "And I look forward to working with you in the future."

Camicazi and the rest of the Bog Burglars waved as a dozen dragons ascended into the sky and soon disappeared.

* * *

Reading wasn't a favorite activity among most Vikings. Some considered it a waste of time. Others simply didn't want to put any effort into attempting to figure out the complexities of a story or the inner struggles of fictional characters. But the youngest members of Berk, those have yet to learn to read, enjoyed the experience of reading immensely because of Adrianna Haddock. The girl got a group of children together each week to read a story and then talk about it afterward. At first, only the youngest Ingerman children showed up to these meetings but word quickly spread about her funny voices and tendency to have some of the children act out the stories. These meetings now packed the library and filled the room with lots of laughter, some of it from Matilda, the librarian. It was on days like this that Adrianna felt like she had the most fun and important job in the world and even considered offering to watch some of the kids while their parents were out. Perhaps she could make a job out of it.

But once those sessions ended, Adrianna left her magical haven with her books under her arm and her head lowered, trying to not draw attention to herself as she walked home. The adults were quite friendly to her when they walked by, but it wasn't the adults she was avoiding. Her peers often hung around the village square and sometimes they liked to bother her as she left the library.

Adrianna longed for the days when _most_ of her peers would simply leave her alone. But those were the good ol' days before former Outcast Dana Sanders moved to Berk and began to rule the eleven through fifteen year old group of girls. The Haddock teen wasn't sure why Dana was the leader of this growing gang. She wasn't the biggest or the oldest. Perhaps it was because she was the most outspoken of the girls. Growing up on Outcast Island tended to make a person to grow backbone and learn to easily overpower and subdue a crowd. Whatever the reason, there was one thing for certain: Dana did not like Adrianna. At all.

The Haddock girl came quite close to escaping from the girls' cruelty on that day. But it almost seemed like Dana had a strategy because she appeared to have waited until Adrianna's back was to them before speaking.

"You know, it's a good thing the chief isn't here." she began, her stentorian voice was loud enough to carry. "I think things run a lot more smoothly with him gone. Maybe he should just stay with the Bog Burglars. I hear Camicazi the Crazy is great company."

Adrianna gritted her teeth and ignored them as best she could.

"I bet Camicazi would be able to produce a strong daughter, someone like her. Then again, bad eggs can happen to anyone." Dana continued in a carrying whisper. "If Camicazi's daughter got captured by some psychopath, she'd get her back within the hour."

"Well she wouldn't just cry about it." said an older girl Adrianna didn't know well. "She'd get up and do something."

"At least I had somebody to cry over my absence. No tears will be shed for you." Adrianna said through gritted teeth, knowing full well that she would regret these words. "And my dad didn't just cry about it. He came for me. But no one will be there for you."

Dana approached the Haddock halfway. "There you go again. The whole world revolves around you."

"That's not true-"

"Nah, she's actually kinda right, Dana. Her dad's been ignoring her a lot more. He didn't take her on his trip this time." Morgan pointed out. "Actually a lot of stuff's gotten done the last few years."

This struck a chord with Adrianna. It wasn't that Hiccup was any less affectionate but he was, especially in the last few years, somewhat inattentive. She hadn't noticed it happening at first but it happened more and more now. And apparently, she wasn't being too sensitive.

"He's just got a lot of work to do." Adrianna turned around in the hopes that she could walk home uninterrupted again.

"Maybe he just doesn't like talking about a bunch of silly fantasies that'll never really happen!" Dana called as Adrianna began to walk away. The girl paid no heed to her comment. Sanders spun back to her possy. "This is way too easy." she said as she turned back to her friends. "She always reacts."

"Well I would too if my dad stopped paying attention to me." Taryn's brown eyes flitted toward the retreating back of the Haddock girl. "Maybe we should just leave her alone."

"Why?"

"Because we got what we wanted. The chief's stopped acting like she's the center of the universe." Taryn shook her head. "And clearly it's a sore spot."

"Good." said an older girl named Audra. "She needs to get used to it."

Taryn bit her lip as a feeling of intense guilt washed over her for a split second. But she didn't let it take control as she turned her back to Adrianna and participated in the eventual change in discussion topic.

Meanwhile, a lonely teenage girl was left wondering if her father really had stopped caring after all.

* * *

Toothless rumbled low in his throat, jerking Hiccup awake with a sharp beat of his wings. He gasped in shock, checking himself so he wouldn't fall out of his saddle. Then again, they were attached by his prosthetic so he wouldn't fall off… Gods, he was exhausted.

His back creaked awkwardly when he bent over Toothless' head. "What is it, Bud?" Toothless gestured his head forward. Hiccup's chapped lips broke into a smile at what he saw. "Oh… Home." The chief twisted in his saddle, his stiff limbs voicing their complaints in the process. Most of the council members were also half asleep. Finn and Erick were definitely out for the count. Only Olaf seemed to be wide awake, smiling up at the early morning stars winking down upon them.

"Pst!" Hiccup whispered, catching Olaf's attention. The Night Fury rider motioned his head toward Berk and the Larson patriach gave him a solid thumbs up in response. Olaf turned his Gronckle steadily toward Charger, carefully nudging his son awake. It wouldn't do to fall off a landing dragon.

Hiccup also made his way toward Finn, who was properly slumped over in his saddle. With a mild chuckle, he shook the teen awake. "We're landing soon, Buddy. Almost there."

Finn slowly sat up with a distinct whine, soon rubbing his gloved hands together to return some feeling to them. Hiccup copied his movements, rubbing his ungloved fingers together. His palms were covered in leather while the slots for his fingers were latched onto the back of his gloves. Had he remembered to unlatch the finger slots a few hours prior, then perhaps his fingers wouldn't be so numb now.

By the time Hiccup twisted in his saddle again, everyone was awake. Hiccup gave the silent order to land, asking Toothless to touch down as silently as he could. They didn't want to wake up all of Berk on the eve of Snoggletog. After all, nobody wanted to be grouchy for the day's celebrations!

As the group pulled out of their dives, they broke apart to fly to their various homes. Hiccup shot a quick salute to Olaf and Erick before he led Finn back to their house outside the village. Toothless and Thornado landed with growled sighs of exhaustion. Finn slid off of the blue Thunderdrum with a grunt, hopping up and down a bit to return some of the feeling in his toes. He began to pull the bags and saddle off his dragon's back when Hiccup slid off of Toothless and instantly yelped in pain, pulling his left leg off the ground.

"You _okay_?" Finn asked instantly, clearing his throat in annoyance at the sound of it cracking.

Hiccup set his leg back down with a quiet hiss between his teeth. "Yeah. Stump's just really cold."

Finn mentally sighed. Since the duel with Allie the Insincere, chieftess of the Outcasts almost three years ago, his father's leg had been more sensitive to things like the cold or bad weather. The redhead honestly wished he could help ease some of the pain, but like everyone had said before, there was nothing to be done except to rest.

Finn was proud to see the barn still in tip-top shape as he and his father walked inside. It wasn't massive but it had been a nice addition. That summer, Hiccup and Finn had built the barn as their own little man project, while the two women of the house got to expand the washroom for their "frilly" things (which Finn found to be absolutely ludicrous). The barn, however, now that was practically a necessity. It was nice for the dragons to sleep inside during the cold seasons and stormy weather at any rate.

Stormfly and Lily nearly bowled the four over when they walked in, giving all their boys kisses until the cold air from outside began to chap their skin.

"Okay, okay, okay!" Hiccup laughed, pushing against Stormfly's snout to calm her down. "Easy girl, you'll give us hypothermia with all that slobber."

Finn tossed his saddle onto his bench, eyes flitting to Hiccup's left leg as he limped over to his own workbench. "Do you want me to heat some water?" he asked rather hopeful that this time his father would say yes.

Hiccup glanced over at him in surprise before he caught on. "Oh… No, I'm okay Bud. I'm going to bed and it'll warm up soon. Thank you though."

"Mkay…" Finn looked away unsure.

Hiccup faced him with a loving smile. "Really, Buddy. I'm okay." Hiccup tousled his son's hair playfully and Finn pulled away with a half-annoyed look. Hiccup laughed and wrapped an arm around Finn's shoulders as they trudged back into the cold. The dragons, snug in their warm hay beds, fell fast asleep.

The house was dark and quiet when they entered, only the simmering glow in the fire pit providing little light.

"Good night." Finn whispered before walking up the stairs as quietly as he could.

"Sleep well, Finn." Hiccup reciprocated as he took off his coat and gloves. He hung them up beside Astrid's jacket, the back of his fingers brushing against the soft fur. He smiled, happy to finally be home after being gone for two full weeks, especially glad that they were home in time for Snoggletog.

As quietly as a man with a peg leg could, he trekked up the wooden stairs. He paused, looking at his daughter's closed door for a moment before he decided he'd just see her in the morning. He didn't want to accidentally wake her up. Instead, he turned and silently crept into the master bedroom.

Clothed in darkness, Hiccup could barely make out a single thing in the room. He waited to let his eyes adjust before he moved. Gently, he slipped off his boot and changed into more comfortable clothes. He lifted his pant leg to feel his left leg and winced at the heat of his fingers against the chill of his stump. Maybe he should heat up some water… No, then he'd be wide awake and never sleep. And he'd have to go back downstairs and would probably end up making noise that would wake up the whole house. Nope; he'd just have to deal with it.

Hiccup turned toward the bed, smiling when he saw the outline of Astrid sleeping under a heavy mound of furs. Kneeling on the bed to quietly unbuckle and set down his prosthetic, Hiccup then crawled under the furs and slid beside his sleeping wife, careful not to wake her. He slowly wrapped his arms around her, reveling in the body heat trapped under the furs. Deeply inhaling, Hiccup pressed his lips to the back of her neck and closed his eyes.

"Your lips are cold." Astrid murmured.

Hiccup cracked his eyes open, smirking. He could just mumble an apology and go to sleep… but where was the fun in that? "Are you going to warm them up?"

She snorted, snuggling deeper into the furs. "And leave my sweet cocoon of warmth? I think not."

Propping his head on his elbow, Hiccup brushed his chilled fingertips across her collarbone. Astrid shivered against her will. "You'll be even warmer once I am. Two warm bodies are better than one."

His wife rolled onto her back to face him, a very unamused expression plastered onto her face. "No."

"Come on, you know you want to." Hiccup didn't wait for her response and buried his face into her exposed neck. Astrid yelped from the cold but relaxed when he sighed in contentment. He slid his hands under her back, spreading his fingers out so her body heat could thaw the frozen digits. Astrid tried to huff yet couldn't help but giggle. She pushed her fingers into his hair, her palms pressing over his ears. If she had any light, she knew they were probably about as red as cherries.

Mrs. Haddock reached down and pulled the furs over his long frame. Hiccup sighed comfortably as the warmth washed over him. "I missed you…" He mumbled from her neck.

She began to rub her palms up and down his back. His skin was just too cold. "I missed you too. I think you need a warmer coat."

"Perfect timing. Odin's on his way."

Astrid hummed, wishing she had thought of that as a gift idea before now. But she could always save some money and make him one by next winter. At that moment, Astrid felt an icy block by her right leg. She moved and realized what it was with horror. "Hiccup, your leg!"

"Mmmm no, don't get up…" Hiccup whined, but Astrid forced him to sit up and pull up his pant leg. His breath hitched when the heat of her hands connected with the icy chill of his stump.

"How long was the flight?" Astrid asked as she slowly began to rub heat back into the severed limb.

"About seven hours." Hiccup sighed. "We meant to leave around noon so we'd be home by nightfall, but… well, the Bogs aren't known for their timeliness. They don't care if they're supposed to be somewhere at a certain time. Or in this case, us. Wow, you're actually making some progress there."

Astrid rolled her eyes. "You should've warmed some water."

"Finn offered but-"

"You didn't want to take care of it, I know."

"Honestly I just wanted to go to bed and see you," Hiccup cocked his head to look her in the eye.

His wife glared up at him, not stopping her hands. "It won't matter if you end up lame for the rest of your life because you didn't-"

"I'd go lame for you." Hiccup interrupted with a shrug.

Astrid huffed. "I'd prefer you didn't."

"It's fine! I'll take it easy tomorrow. In fact, I won't even go to the Snoggletog party until later if that will make you feel better."

"Well, define 'later'. You're the chief. You can't be too late."

"I mean I won't be there for the set up preparations. I'll go at the same time as you."

Astrid finally released his stump, rubbing her now chilly fingers together. She allowed him to take her hands and blow hot air from his mouth into them. "Actually that won't work. Adri and I are coming… a little late."

"Late? Why?"

"It's a surprise." Astrid winked.

"You know I have a love-hate relationship with surprises."

"It's Snoggletog. You know you're going to like it. But I know you're going to _love_ it."

That caught Hiccup's interest. "Really? How so?"

His wife waggled her eyebrows at him flirtatiously. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

"Nah, I wouldn't. That's why I asked after all."

"Well good, because I'm not telling you." Astrid laughed at her husband's deadpan expression. "Anyway, how did it go?"

Hiccup brightened instantly, the grip on her hands tightening. "Perfect! They signed."

"Oh good!"

"Yes. We officially, _finally,_ have the Bog Burglars as our allies. Even if nothing ever happens and we don't need them for help, we've expanded our way of life with dragons to one more village. After Snoggletog we'll be sending a couple women over to help train. Camicazi insisted on women. It's exciting. Cami's really happy with how things have turned out. But…"

She leaned closer at his unsure expression. "But?"

"Finn has a… a _thing_ for Camicazi."

Astrid snorted loudly. "Honestly? I'm not all that surprised. Finn's a wild boy himself. It makes sense for him to fall for women who are just as wild as he is."

Hiccup shook his head firmly. "I don't care who he ends up with in the end, just please don't let it be someone as wild as Camicazi. She's- That'd be just… Eesh!"

She snickered, scooting closer to fix the braids behind his right ear. "So… Adri has changed while you were gone."

"Changed?" He stiffened. "Changed how?"

The Haddock matriarch smiled mysteriously. "Oh, she got her first visit from an old ladies' friend."

"Ladies' friend? What? _Who_?"

Astrid rolled her eyes. Apparently her husband hadn't listened to the _entire_ sentence. "No, not a man, or a person for that matter."

Hiccup stared at her confused when she sat back, his braids finished. "But you said-"

"Ugh, it's a woman's way of saying her time of month has come! Honestly, Hiccup."

"Oh, well why didn't you-" Hiccup froze, eyes wide. "Wait… what?"

The mother of his children tenderly cradled his face in her hands and slowly repeated, "Adri's started her first- Where are you…" She wrapped her arms around his waist and pinned him to the bed. His left arm shuffled around the floor for his prosthetic. "Hiccup! What are you doing?"

"I have to go talk to her. Right now before this gets any worse." Hiccup finally managed to free himself from her grasp and find his prosthetic.

"You will do no such thing!"She hissed. "What exactly are you going to say to her?"

Her husband faced her with an incredulous look. "Uhh... don't have sex or you _will_ get pregnant and you will _die_."

Astrid raised an eyebrow and tried to pull the prosthetic out of his hands. "No. No you're not."

"So you want me to just sit back and wait for her life to end in one foul swoop?"

"You're acting like she's pregnant already!"

"Don't jinx her!"

She huffed. "I'm not jinxing anyone! This is life! And more importantly, this is womanhood!"

Hiccup fell onto his back with his hands covering his face. "NO! She's NOT a woman!"

Astrid flicked his knee impatiently. "Well she's most certainly NOT a man!"

"Gee, thanks for that. I had no idea."

"Then stop being a wuss. She's growing up. They both are." Astrid leaned over to pull him back up into a sitting position. "And it's a _good_ thing." She shook his arms effectually. "Just calm down. One day when she gets pregnant, feel free to panic, but _not_ now."

Hiccup looked morose. "Don't say that. I'm so not ready for that."

"Neither is she." His wife replied softly. "She's only thirteen. She's uncomfortable, her insides feel like the heat of a forge. Trust me from experience: don't make this worse by approaching her about it. Don't treat her different either. She's changing, but she doesn't need you to treat her like a fragile tea cup."

Hiccup sighed heavily. "I know, I was just telling Finn about that the other day… but honestly? They were just babies… And now they both have the capability to… to have their own." He buried his face in his hands, roughly rubbing at his tired eyes. "Time goes so fast."

"Yeah, it does."

Hiccup looked up with wide eyes suddenly. "Addie's best friend is a _boy_!"

Openly laughing, Astrid pointed a finger vaguely toward the village, "Erick? Seriously? You're worried Erick is going to… Oh come on!"

"Everyone sees it! Don't act like you don't!"

"I see the beginnings of something potential. I don't see him getting her pregnant anytime soon. Erick would sooner chop off his own-"

"ASTRID!"

"Foot. I was going to say foot."

"Sure you were." Hiccup shivered at that particular train of thought.

Astrid snorted. "You're such a boy."

"Boy? _Boy_! I am a _man_! A big strong man!" Hiccup lifted his arms and flexed for emphasis. This only caused Astrid to laugh.

"Right! Because that's why I married you. For your strength."

"In a way, yes. You did." Hiccup smirked, his expression flirtatious. "Which reminds me, you have yet to welcome your husband home with a kiss."

Astrid set her hands on his knees, leaning forward. A smile tugged the corners of her lips as she brushed her nose along the edge of his, breath tickling his lips. The look of elation on Hiccup's face was priceless as his eyes fluttered to a close and he began to close the gap between them. Then she abruptly pulled away with a fake yawn before crawling back to her side of the bed.

"What?" He asked, dumbfounded.

"I'm tired. Goodnight." His wife shot him a cruel grin before she started to wrap herself up in furs and blankets.

Hiccup nearly growled, "Oh, I don't think so."

Astrid yelped when her husband grabbed her by the calf and dragged her down the bed towards him. She squirmed and tried to kick away, but his grip on her leg tightened. Hiccup began to press warm kisses up her leg, the stubble on his chin making her laugh and struggle more.

"Hold still, woman!" He hissed at her knee.

She shot him a daring glare. "Why don't you make me, Viking?"

Hiccup's eyes narrowed in a challenging sort of way. As he began to move closer, Astrid suddenly twisted around and tried to get off the bed. He barely managed to clamp his arm around her waist and pull her back into his lap. She used the momentum to shove him onto his back, ignoring his wheeze of surprise when she used her full weight to sit on his chest.

"I win!" She hissed triumphantly.

Hiccup's piercing gaze never left. "Did you?" His hands found her waist and dug into the flesh below her ribs. Astrid jerked and thrashed above him, trying her hardest not to scream with laughter and wake the kids down the hall. His wife scrambled away and Hiccup sat up again. He retracted his hands to grab her face and pull her in for a kiss.

Astrid didn't waste any time, biting his lip and nudging his mouth open with her tongue. Hiccup moaned in surprise when she practically plundered his mouth and firmly pressed her hands against his chest. He growled when she tried to shove him back down onto the furs. Pulling her back onto his lap and wrapping his arms around her waist, Hiccup pressed sloppy warm kisses down her neck and onto her collar bone. Astrid fisted her hands in his hair, pulling him impossibly closer. Her breath hitched when her husband sucked hard on the skin below her collarbone.

"Hiccup… That better not be… visible tomorrow."

He smiled roguishly at her. "Why would it be? It's not like you to wear scandalous clothes. Well," He grinned at her smugly. "Not out there at least."

"Shut up." Astrid kissed him again, shoving her hands up his shirt to feel the heat of his skin. Hiccup moaned, pushing her backwards until her back hit the pillows. He hovered over her long enough to pull his nightshirt off before meeting her lips again.

He always loved the feel of her hands roaming his back while he kissed her senseless. Goosebumps prickled up his skin when her fingernails scraped down his spine. Hiccup bit his lip to keep back the moan when she pressed hot kisses down the jagged scar on his neck. She carefully kissed the scar over his heart and then pulled herself back up to eye level. She met his eyes for a moment before she focused on his chin. He smiled when she gingerly kissed the scar there, then whispered, "Almost missed one." Hiccup pressed his forehead to hers, brushing his nose up against hers and feeling her breath mingling with his own.

He felt Astrid's left knee slide up against his hipbone before he heard and felt her whisper, "Kiss me."

Hiccup smiled at her lovingly as he slid down to her stomach. He lifted her nightshirt enough to reveal her thin waist. Holding her hips, he gently traced his thumbs across the faded stretch marks from her pregnancy. Even after all these years, they still held a strong sense of love and fascination to him. And every time he made love to her since their babies were born, he was sure to show her just how beautiful he thought she was, starting with those very marks.

Astrid hummed warmly when her husband pressed his lips against her belly and slowly dragged his mouth upwards. Hiccup traced his mouth over her ribs, carefully mapping every inch of skin it touched. He was startled when she sat up halfway but smiled when she pulled her nightshirt over her head altogether. He roguishly glanced down at her warm pajama pants in response but Astrid dragged his face back down to her torso instead of complying with his rather obvious request.

With a low whine, hiccup began to mouth the edge of her chest band, to which she throatily replied, "Wait. Just wait."

Hiccup continued to sloppily kiss his way up to her collarbone and neck, his hands traveling agonizingly slowly over her torso so that Astrid squirmed beneath him. "You... are... as beautiful... as the day... I married you." he whispered.

Astrid bit her lip, hooked her leg over his hip, and flipped them so she now covered him. "So are you." She cradled his face in her hands for a moment before whispering, "Your turn."

Hiccup sighed heavily as she took her sweet, sweet time in kissing down his neck and chest. It didn't matter that they'd been married for fifteen years, he was still reeling with every kiss she gave. She never got old and thus he never got old. They were still young kids learning about the other in ways they never could have as mere friends. He still felt like the young man who had married the most attractive, the most dangerous woman in all of Berk, all of the archipelago... heck, in all of the _world_!

Astrid Hofferson loved him. She became Astrid Haddock... and it was certainly a miracle that she _still_ loved him.

"Astrid..." Hiccup hummed as she nipped at his jaw.

His hands clutched at her waist reflexively and she captured his mouth with hers again. It took all the strength in the world to be quiet and for a moment, Hiccup didn't want to be. For once in a long time, he wanted to shout her name to the rooftops and tell the world how much he loved her. His fingertips found the edge of her pants and she breathed a giggle into his ear.

"What?"

"I love you."

"What?"

"I love you."

Astrid stifled a laugh when he buried his face in her shoulder, panting hard. "One more time-"

"I love you! Iloveyu, Iloveyou, Iloveyou!"

Astrid giggled at his passion, a small part of her hoping his voice wasn't carrying. She pulled at the long strands of his hair and firmly pried his head back out of her shoulder.

She stared down at his face heatedly, fiercely enjoying how he panted, and then whispered, "Prove it."

Once again, since their first night together, Astrid was surprised at the strength and speed of which her husband could flip her onto her back with little to no resistance. Under most circumstances, she'd have been outraged... but this? Honestly, she couldn't wait until next time.


	4. Hidden Darkness

Hiccup and Astrid didn't usually wake up at the same time most days. Hiccup liked to sleep in while Astrid enjoyed rising with the sun and getting as many things done as possible before the rest of her family joined her for the day. But holiday mornings are special and thus habits are often broken. Hiccup and Astrid, therefore, were awake as a tiny glow of light came through the window. Thankful for the warmth of each other and the heating system Hiccup had rigged throughout the whole house years before, they didn't see any reason to get up right away. Hiccup snuggled in closer to his wife, breathing deeply and taking in the wonderful scent she offered. He gently stroked the soft skin of her curves beneath the furs and hummed contentedly in her ear.

"Happy Snoggletog." Astrid whispered in response. "You're a lot warmer than you were last night."

"How could I not be?" Hiccup leaned in a bit more. "I wish the kids were out of the house. Then we could go again."

"That would be nice." Astrid stretched her arms and turned to face her husband, burrowing into the furs some more. "But they're not here now."

Hiccup smiled and snuggled down with her, firmly placing his hands on her hips and drawing her close to him. She raised a hand and brushed some of his thick brown hair out of his eyes before leaning in and catching his lips with her own. Despite the warmth of the embrace, shivers ran down both of their spines as they tried to make up for the two weeks they had been separated. Just as they were thinking of throwing caution to the wind and repeating the previous night's activities, they heard a crashing sound and a high pitched squeal of pain.

"Someone's up." Astrid whispered into her husband's ear. "We'll have to save this for later."

"Mmmm no." Hiccup kissed her again. "I'm not ready to get out of bed."

Astrid pecked his nose before rolling over and emerging from the many furs covering her. She quickly slipped on some comfortable clothes before slipping out of the room. Hiccup watched her go with a sigh. As happy as he was at the thought of seeing his daughter again after a long two weeks away, he wasn't at all finished with Astrid. He suspected he wouldn't be for quite some time.

Meanwhile, Adrianna had tried her best to get out of bed without waking anyone but alas, her poor cleaning skills thwarted her efforts. As she got up from the ground, her foot tangled in several shirts, Astrid opened the door a crack and peered in.

"Sorry." she whispered. "I can go back to bed."

"No need. Your dad's already up." Astrid replied with a wink. "I think he'd like to see you. Go on downstairs and I'll be down in a minute after I wake up your brother."

Adrianna grinned and pounded down the stairs without another word, her nightgown flying out behind her. Her time of the month had come to an end the previous day and she was feeling much better.

Astrid walked down the hallway to the adjacent room, which contained her teenage son. Finn was buried deep into the blankets and was so out of it, his mother had to shake him several times before he was awake.

"Mmmmm dad…" he mumbled almost incoherently. "Lemme sleep."

"I'm sure your dad _would_ let you sleep too." Astrid said cheerfully. "But I'm not your father."

"Mom?" one of Finn's eyes slowly opened and, for a moment, he was very confused.

"Yep." Astrid ruffled his hair. "Welcome home."

Despite feeling more like his body was fused to the bed, Finn suddenly felt a surge of energy powerful enough to allow him to sit up and embrace his mother. She held him tightly, very happy that her little boy was home at last. Well, she thought as they broke apart and she got a good look at him, he wasn't so little anymore. His thick red hair fell all over his face and neck. She would have to cut it soon before it got out of hand. And he seemed to have grown even more since he had left. Most people probably wouldn't have noticed this since the change in height was so subtle but Astrid could tell her boy would be taller than her in no time at all.

"Nice to see you again, mom." Finn's voice sounded a little bit lower than she'd expected but it was a welcome change.

"I missed you." Astrid nudged him with her elbow. "Now get dressed and go downstairs so you can see what Odin brought you."

Finn rolled his eyes but got out of bed anyway. By the time Astrid had left Finn's room, Hiccup was dressed and had just begun to descend the staircase. Astrid smiled mischievously and threw her arms around him from the back, causing him to stagger slightly but stay upright thanks to her weight.

"Can't keep your hands off me, can you?" he asked flirtatiously before turning around and kissing her firmly so that she couldn't answer right away.

"Well _someone_ doesn't seem to mind." Astrid nibbled his lip, causing him to moan in pleasure, before descending the staircase next to him.

"How could I? I have the most beautiful woman in the archipelago fawning all over me." Hiccup grinned as he received the well-deserved smack on the chest for that comment.

"I'm not _fawning_." Astrid huffed. "I'm just making up for lost time."

"Mmm well in _that_ case, I guess we'll have to find a place to be alone as soon as we can." Hiccup growled seductively, making her laugh.

"Easy, tiger, there are children present." she said, pointing to their daughter, who had her back to them the whole time as she surveyed the Snoggletog tree and the presents beneath.

"Weren't you just telling me last night that she's a woman now?" Hiccup muttered into his wife's ear before saying in a much louder voice, "Well, aren't you going to turn around and welcome your old man home after a long and completely exhausting time away?"

The girl turned around and her face broke into a smile. "Dad!" she squealed excitedly before hurrying forward and throwing her arms around his neck.

"Easy there, Addie." Hiccup chuckled, hugging her as tightly as he could without crushing her. "These brittle bones aren't as strong as they used to be."

"Oh please." Adrianna laughed as she broke away from him. "You're not that old."

"Yes I am!" Hiccup countered. "Apparently I am now capable of becoming a grandparent."

Adrianna's face immediately reddened. "Mom…"

"Don't panic, Adri, he's not going to treat you any differently. Right, Hiccup?" Astrid poked him in the ribs with her elbow.

"Right, right." Hiccup said reluctantly. "And that's not the kind of thing I need to talk about anyway. The point is, my kids grew up way too fast." he looked back at the staircase, where a sleepy looking Finn was now descending. "Both of them."

"Sorry, dad." Finn deadpanned. "We'll just shrink and say tiny forever. Except then we'll never leave the house and you and Mom won't get any alone time."

"Oh we'll get alone time whether you like it or not." Astrid placed her arm around her husband's waist. "No matter what size you are."

"What time is everyone else getting here?" Adrianna asked impatiently.

"Not too long from now." Astrid glanced at the window and was glad to see the sun higher in the sky, casting light in the house and almost making the lamps they'd lit unnecessary. "Enough time to make breakfast."

"Oh, Finn can do that." Hiccup said immediately, pushing his son toward the kitchen area.

"Finn cooks?" Adrianna stared at her brother with a raised eyebrow.

"No." he grumbled.

"Don't be so modest." Hiccup strode forward and got some eggs out of a basket. "Your brother has a gift and it's high time he shared it with the whole world."

"I will keep denying it until I die." Finn said with a scowl. "Men don't cook."

"Oh yes they do." Hiccup pointed to the kitchen area. "Go on, we won't tell anyone your diabolical secret if you get breakfast started right away."

Adrianna giggled as her brother reluctantly made his way to the kitchen area and began extracting ingredients from the cupboards. As he was just beginning to get something together, there was a knock at the door.

"It's open!" Hiccup called.

"Thank goodness." said Benen as he walked in, brushing snow off of himself. "It's cold out there."

"You could have slept here." Astrid hurried forward and helped her elderly friend take off his coat.

"Thank you but I wanted my gifts to be a surprise." Benen grabbed a small rope and dragged in a sled with four wrapped gifts on top.

"Oh Benen, you didn't have to!" Adrianna smiled widely and began to place the gifts atop the growing pile around the tree.

"Nonsense." Benen said stubbornly. "Of course I did."

The elderly man didn't have time to explain himself any more because Finn had finally found a good stopping place and hurried across the room to hug his dearest friend.

Benen laughed. "Look at you! Two weeks and you've grown even more!"

"I have?" Finn looked down and noticed that his pajamas were slightly tight. "Wow..."

"The gap between you and your sister gets bigger every day, it seems." Hiccup grasped the twins' shoulders and put them together. "The top of her head comes up to your nose."

"Yep. I'm just that amazing." Finn chortled before heading back to his abandoned food.

"Height isn't everything, mister!" Adrianna shouted over her shoulder before turning back to everyone else. "Although it would be nice not to have everyone staring down at me."

"Oh I'm sorry, your highness." Astrid rolled her eyes. "How about we sit down so can look down at us for once."

"Hardy har har." Adrianna deadpanned. "Whichever one of you is responsible for my shortness, you owe me."

A gust of freezing cold air hit them as the door flung open, revealing an amused looking Gobber with a large, bulky sack at his foot. "Ahh, you probably haven't hit your growth spurt yet. Your dad didn't get his until he was almost eighteen." he added as if he had always been standing there.

"Thank you for reminding me of how tiny I used to be." Hiccup said flatly. "I'd nearly forgotten."

"No problem." Gobber hobbled forward and smacked his former apprentice on the back, causing him to stumble. "I'm always happy to remind your kids of the reason for their awkwardness."

Adrianna smiled but felt rather embarrassed at being reminded just how many of her father's genes she contained in every cell of her body. They seemed to dominate her mother's because Finn had clearly inherited Astrid's agility. But, as she looked at her dad, who finally smiled at yet another quip from his old mentor, she supposed there could be worse things than the inability to get through a walk in the woods without tripping on a fallen branch or rock.

"Speaking of awkwardness..." Astrid began, her eyes fixed on her son. "I hear Finn has a thing for the chief of the Bog Burglars."

Finn dropped his mixing spoon with a clatter. "It's not... she's just..."

"It's fine!" his mother chortled. "Just don't use Pipsqueak or Nyssa to send her love letters."

"Fine. I'll just get my own Terror." Finn shrugged and went back to mixing the concoction in the bowl.

"You already _are_ a terror." Adrianna muttered.

* * *

All in all, that Snoggletog morning had been one of the best. Benen had surprised everyone by how generous he had been. He got Astrid a new axe with her name carved into the handle (Hiccup mentally kicked himself for never coming up with that). For Hiccup, he had gotten the warmest winter coat he could find. Finn had received a shiny new helmet that could be adjusted as his head grew (and his hair thickened). He had given Adrianna a lovely necklace which had a pendant in the shape of a rose and decorated with little purple stones that were so carefully cut, they almost looked like actual petals. The Haddocks all protested that these gifts were far too expensive but Benen waved away their complaints and told them that it was worth it just to see their delighted expressions.

Gobber had gotten them all weapons, two of which Adrianna couldn't even lift (luckily for her, she had been given the small dagger rather than the gigantic club that had gone to her brother). The rest of the gifts were exchanged and by the end of it, the best of them had been the cloth flower hair clips Hiccup had made Adrianna (he'd even put semiprecious stones in the middle), several practice axes from Astrid to Finn, a whole new set of tools for Hiccup from Astrid, and a brand new, very sturdy, and hand made saddle from Hiccup to Astrid. By the time they were clearing out the wrappings, Thorein turned up at the front door.

"Finn, some of the guys are having a snowball fight. You in?" he asked breathlessly.

Finn turned to his parents. " _Am_ I in?"

Hiccup smiled and patted his son on the back. "Go for it."

"Yeah!" Finn hopped to his feet and threw on a coat over his pajamas. Astrid had to call him back twice, once to put on a hat and the other to put on gloves.

"Adri and I have to get ready for the party." Astrid said, jerking her head toward the stairs.

"Already? It's in two hours!" Hiccup called as his daughter pounded up the stairs after her mother.

"Oh let them go." Benen chuckled at the two of them as they disappeared. "Women always need extra time to get ready."

"Yeah... I guess." Hiccup stared at the stairs for a long time.

"All righty, then!" Gobber said loudly. "I'm going to go help set up." and he walked past Hiccup, he patted his shoulder in an almost comforting way before facing the cold outside.

For a few minutes, all was silent except for the crackling of the fire. Benen watched as Hiccup sighed deeply and turned around, staring into the fire with a faraway look in his eyes.

"Forgive me for asking because I know it's not my place but..." Benen paused, allowing Hiccup to look up at him. "Might I ask something about Adrianna that might be a bit... personal?"

"I think I know what you're going to ask." Hiccup leaned back against the couch. "You deserve to know anything you need to know about us. You've earned that right."

Benen lowered his eyebrows slightly in thought, trying to figure out exactly how to phrase his first and most pressing question, one he had contemplated for a long time. "Adrianna's story... it didn't have such a happy beginning, did it?"

Hiccup audibly swallowed and shook his head. "No, it did. She had a wonderful beginning. The pages were just stained and torn before the story could really begin." there was a long pause. "I guess... to get a perspective on what happened... did I ever tell you about the day the twins were born?"

Benen shook his head. "I've heard little things. Such as the fact that the twins weren't born here."

"Yes, well, that's part of it. It's a long story of how it came to this but Astrid gave birth on a remote island in the middle of the ocean. We didn't have a healer or... well, anyone who knew what they were doing so we just had to pray it would go well." Hiccup took a deep breath. "Finn was born first. As soon as he was out, he started screaming so loud, we could hear it echoing all over the place."

Benen laughed. "I'm sorry. It's just very fitting."

"Definitely fitting. He was always loud." Hiccup agreed with a tiny smile, which soon vanished. "We had no idea it was twins. We thought it was all over but then Astrid started having pains again. It was surprising enough to find out there was another baby but then Addie came out feet first." he trailed off for a moment, his gaze focused on the burning embers as his mind raced to find a way to share story and not get choked up. "I delivered her. She was four and a half pounds and so beautiful and fragile... and silent. The little girl I always wanted was motionless in my arms. She didn't breathe, she didn't cry, she might very well have died already. She... I breathed into her mouth and pressed her belly countless times until my dad had to stop me. I..." Hiccup shook his head and faltered. Benen put a hand on his shoulder. "But then she started screaming. That's why her middle name is Miracle. At birth, she barely survived. If only that was the only thing she ever struggled through. I wish I could say it was..."

Benen sighed. "But it wasn't."

"No. No, it wasn't." Hiccup shook his head. "My umm... my dad had a crazy sister who was banished for something she didn't do. Well... initially. My dad accidentally killed his baby brother... Hiccup... when he was a kid. And Trista... she was blamed for it. Then as payback she... Sh-she mutilated the body." Benen gasped. "She was banished. But she came back and for revenge against my dad for causing her a life of misery, she..." Hiccup stopped and swallowed hard. "Gods, ten years and I still can't-"

"It's all right. Take your time, son. Don't rush."

Hiccup licked his lips. "Trista came in the middle of the night on Snoggletog and... she kidnapped Addie from her bed."

Benen stiffened, his hand on Hiccup's shoulder tightening considerably. "No... what... what did you do?" he whispered.

Hiccup opened his mouth but then paused for a few seconds. "Hang on, let me go get something from upstairs."

He rushed up the steps (Benen heard Astrid tell him that on no uncertain terms was he allowed to check on the women's progress) and returned a few seconds later with a box in his hands. He sat down next to Benen and placed the box between them.

"I know it's crazy but I saved everything from when... when it happened. As much pain as it caused us, Astrid and I never want to forget what we went through, how terrified we were... we never want to forget why we fight for her." Hiccup opened the box and handed Benen the note with the Skrill at the bottom. The elderly man stared at the note as the father continued. "This was the first one... this was the note that... I thought I'd never see her again-" he put his head down and covered his face to keep composure. After finding the emotional strength to continue, he looked back up at his friend and explained each note and where it had led. Hiccup expressed his immense frustration when a clue brought them right back to the house after an intense and desperate day. His voice wobbled slightly when he described to Benen the bloody skirt they discovered next morning and the search for the puzzle pieces that revealed where Trista was hiding. But it wasn't until he recounted the events after they rescued their daughter that his eyes began to mist. "You know you... it's been how long and you envision saving your baby and she runs to you, crying in your arms as you hold her tight..." Hiccup licked his lips again. "But she didn't. You're successful in extricating her from the jaws of death and you run to her and she just stares at you... in fact, stares at you in utter horror before she runs away from you... she chooses another parent as someone who can protect her more than you can..." he shook his head. "That woman... tore her apart... mentally and physically. She tore our family apart from the foundations and... I've said it once, I will say it again... it is a miracle that she is here. That any of us are, really."

There was a long silence as Benen took in everything he had heard. Finally, he spoke up. "Sometimes bad people do bad things to those who deserve it the least. Bad things happen to good people. But it doesn't define them. Adrianna's story... may not have had such a happy beginning. But she doesn't have to live in that terrible woman's shadow forever. In fact I think slowly but surely she is getting there. But that goes for all of you. You also." Hiccup looked over and Benen smiled gently. "You were terribly affected by this. If my old ears have heard anything at all in my time here, it is that your last decade hasn't been an easy one. And that's where it all began. You don't have to live in her shadow, in fear that you can't protect those you love. You can, and you do. Every day."

Hiccup shook his head. "It doesn't feel like it. I've never felt more useless in my life than the time my daughter didn't want me in the same room as her."

"But she accepted you over time, yes? She must have or she wouldn't love you dearly now." Benen reminded him.

"Yes. She did." Hiccup took a deep shuddering breath before continuing. "She's always hated to see people cry. Ever since she was a toddler. Still does, as a matter of fact." Benen nodded. "All those emotions couldn't stay down forever and at one point, she saw me crying about it. And that... I guess she hated seeing me cry a lot more than she was frightened to come near me. Or resentful." he paused and shook his head. "I honestly don't know why she ran from me. I don't know why she was frightened of me in the first place. Something about that doesn't add up."

"At this point, I hardly think it matters." Benen said softly. "She isn't running from you now."

Hiccup put his head in his hands again. Through his fingers, he shakily continued. "I still hear her cackles. My heart still pounds when I recount those days. I still grieve for my baby that never... never really came home. She was snatched away... and came home a different person. A very scarred, injured and terrified soul wrapped tight in that little body. She's yet to feel... freedom."

"She will." Benen assured him. After a moment, he tentatively asked a question that was pressing in his mind but he was unsure of voicing. "What was she like before it happened?"

Hiccup smiled suddenly in a way Benen had never seen before. It wasn't a happy smile. There was anguish behind those eyes but at the thought of his daughter as a toddler, the father couldn't help but smile about the few carefree days she'd had.

"Everything made her happy. She was vibrant, excited to live. Her laugh made anyone smile... people loved to watch her chase after Finn through the village. She loved tea parties and looked hilarious and adorable sitting between massive Vikings. She could convince any of them to do a tea party with her. She hated to see anyone cry..." Hiccup stopped and he finally frowned, the anguish now taking over his face. "She's still in there, in the small ways when she thinks we're not looking. But most of the time... sh-she's gone."

"I'm sorry." Benen said in a voice barely above a whisper. "Thank you for telling me. I know it was hard."

"You needed to know. Should've known sooner-"

"No, there's a time for everything. The best time is now." the smile returned to Hiccup's face at Benen's words. "But... I will say that many things make so much more sense now." he paused for a few seconds. "And I think you're right, Hiccup. She's still in there. I can see it. You just have to give it time."

Hiccup nodded. "I know. She'll be back someday. I just pray that it won't take more pain to make it happen."

"As do I. But I know one thing for sure. Your daughter is a fighter, right from the start. Of that you should be proud. She is a true Haddock." Benen said proudly.

"I am." Hiccup smiled. "I should probably take this upstairs before anyone sees it. We keep it pretty well hidden so Addie or Finn won't stumble on it."

"Yes, that sounds wise." Benen agreed. "Thanks again for telling me."

As Hiccup ascended the staircase with the box in his hands, Benen went into deep thought about the story he just heard. The darkness behind the Haddock girl's eyes now made perfect sense... but some of the pain wasn't just residual. There was new pain as well. He could see it on her face when she thought no one was looking. Adrianna was a lonely, unhappy little girl at heart and no one seemed to see it. Perhaps they blamed Trista for her troubles but that was only part of the problem.

In that moment, Benen promised himself that he would try to make a difference with whatever amount of time he had left. He owed it to the family after they had accepted him as their own. And he owed it to the little girl who had done so much to make him smile even while she herself couldn't.


	5. Under the Mistletoe

Gobber truly was a man of his word. When he'd told Hiccup that he could handle the setup of the Great Hall for the Snoggletog party, he wasn't kidding. In previous years Hiccup had organized the preparations as his father always had before him, but with this year's extra distractions and fatigue wearing the chief down, Gobber had insisted on taking over. Well, he had really outdone himself for a man with one arm, one leg and nursing a pint of mead while he worked and ordered people around.

Hiccup stood impressed in the center of the Great Hall as Gobber helped Phlegma the Fierce hang a few more wreaths. Elder Goethi moseyed past him, nudging his shoulder with her staff and giving him a crooked smile. Hiccup nodded to her in greeting before a group of young women and their mothers nearly plowed him over. The bustling group of females tittered their apologies and followed after their mothers with haste. Hiccup chuckled at the learning girls, all so eager to learn their mothers' tricks in cooking and housekeeping. This type of urgency in a woman to perfect everything in her home was something strange to him—he'd only had a mother for six years growing up since his father never remarried and for as long as he'd known Astrid, she was never one for perfect living quarters. Not that she completely loved chaos within their home, but she'd surely go stir crazy if she mended, sewed and did laundry all day, every day. Those things were surely a good work, yes; but everyone was different.

The smell of freshly cooked sweet rolls and buns combined with the pleasant aroma of mutton and boar and fish stews and fries nearly overcame him and it was all he could do not to snatch a plate and start piling it high now. When the elderly women began to trickle in, each carefully holding their pots and pans full of homemade baked pies and desserts, he began to nervously fidget. He remembered one time as a little boy when his parents found him under a table with an entire pan of stolen blueberry pie… nope, he'd never fully recovered from the experience. He wished Astrid was here, or at least Adrianna, to help him keep his head on straight. One of these days, pie would be the death of him.

Gobber thumped over to him and sat down with a heavy sigh. Wiping his face down with a handkerchief, he grinned up at Hiccup. "So, waddya think?"

Hiccup faked concern. "I don't know… don't you think it's a little… weak?"

"Weak?"

"I mean, it's still kinda dark in here Gobber. I don't know if anyone can see the floor-"

"Now see here, I got every single light up on those rafters without the help of a single drag-"

"Gobber." Hiccup interrupted with a grin and patted his shoulder. "I'm kidding. It looks great. Thanks."

Gobber deflated and cuffed him on the head like he used to when Hiccup was a boy. "Yeh, you're welcome. And eh… yes, I did use a dragon or two. I couldn't help it."

Hiccup snickered, "It's fine, Gobber. I would've done the same. Gods, it's getting hot in here already."

"And only about a third of the village is here," Gobber smiled wide. "Ohh-hooo look at the pie-"

"Don't even get me started on pie, Gobber. Don't tempt me further-"

"Hiccup, you had your fill on pie yet?" Snotlout's voice erupted from the doorway as their friends and families walked through the doors.

The chief rolled his eyes and opened his mouth to retort, but Tuffnut beat him to it. "Yeah, it looks like he's gained weight already! Look!" Tuffnut promptly jabbed his finger into Hiccup's gut and he slapped him away.

"Ow! Seriously."

Ruffnut rolled her eyes. "Please, that could've been so much worse."

"Yeah? Like how?" Tuffnut taunted.

"Like this!" Ruffnut jammed her pointer finger right into his eye and he jumped back with a screech of indignation.

Svala sighed in annoyance. "Please don't blind my husband before our baby is born."

"Yes! Please don't blind my husband before it's born- wait…" Tuffnut paused to think.

Svala rolled her eyes, "Oh come on, I'm _starving_! Let's find a table!"

Tuffnut was promptly dragged off by his wife, leaving the rest of the group to laugh at their expense. They really had no room to laugh however, as they could each remember their first experiences at having their first pregnancy (or having a wife with her first pregnancy). It was a strange, educational, exciting time for each of them… and, by all accounts, very different for all.

Helga suddenly huffed in a look of boredom. To the chief, she asked, "Where's Finn?"

"He's over…" Hiccup turned to look around the crowd in search of his unruly mop of red hair. "Ah, he's over there with the other boys."

"Cool, thanks chief." Helga shoved past Inga with a sneer and marched toward the table.

Inga effortlessly called to her back, "Have fun! You're really perfect for each other!" Hiccup eyed her quizzically at her choice of words and she made an exasperated face at him. "Really chief, you haven't noticed their goo-goo eyes yet?"

"Of course, I have," Hiccup replied without missing a beat. "What's it to you though? Jealous?"

Inga chortled in laughter. "Oh heck no. No offense, chief, but Finn's a moron." Hiccup blinked once in surprise and Inga saluted him and her parents in apparent dismissal. "See ya 'round, I'm crashing this joint."

Hiccup chortled in laughter as she sashayed away and Snotlout puffed up in pride. "She is _so_ your daughter."

"Really? You hadn't noticed before?" Heather asked with a mild chuckle.

"Nah, not at all. Come on, let's go get a seat. It's starting to get crowded in here."

"Sounds good, chief-o." Snotlout wrapped an arm around both his wife and Hiccup.

"Don't call me that," Hiccup smirked mischievously. "Clumsy."

"Oh shut up, not that again!" Snotlout whined indignantly. Heather laughed openly beside him, fully ignoring his scowl.

The friends found a table with empty seats where Fishlegs and Ruffnut had sat down. Once they got comfortable in their seats, Svala and Tuffnut (both with equally mountainous sized plates) joined them. Hiccup remained standing so if any villager needed to find him, they could see him easily. The group traded jokes and stories while Snotlout and Fishlegs got mugs of mead for everyone.

After the sound of the Great Hall was loud enough to make your ears buzz and bodies were crammed at nearly every table, the group took their time in scanning the faces of nearby tables. Most of them scanned the area for their entourages of children—all were accounted for.

That's when Tuffnut spoke up just as Hiccup was raising his mug to his lips: "Whoa chief, you might want to turn around."

Hiccup gasped involuntarily, then hacked painfully as he inhaled his mead. The sweet beverage burned the back of his nose and throat as he coughed and made his lungs constrict painfully, but he couldn't help but stare with wide green eyes at his gorgeous wife sauntering toward him from the door of the Great Hall.

When she had told him the night previously that he would love the surprise she had planned, he had no idea what to expect. But he never would've expected this. Astrid had a firm smirk on her face as she walked toward him with all the grace of a queen. She was making him weak at the knees, and she knew it too. He didn't stop his eyes from trailing down her body to look at the dress she'd made for herself— it was a bright blue tone that made her eyes pop with a sweetheart neckline, cinched at the waist to accentuate her curves and flowed down in pleats just to the edge of her knees. Her hair was curled and stuck into a bun with a few curled, wispy tresses falling past her ears. The ensemble was perfected with a silver chain necklace he'd made for her as one of the gifts for their engagement—the end of the necklace held two dragon scales. Blue for a Deadly Nadder and black for a Night Fury.

All in all, she was evil in torturing him in such a way in front of the entire the village. In the back of his mind he could hear the snickers and whistles from their childhood friends behind him, but he kept his eyes where they were. Part of him wished she hadn't gone to such great extremes but then again, she was Astrid Haddock, wife of the chief of Berk. She had to make a good impression after all (or so she'd said). Usually he'd scoff that vanity would someday be her downfall, but right now, he wasn't complaining. Not at all.

Astrid finally stood before him with a raised eyebrow. Hiccup scanned her dress once again before he inhaled through closed teeth and shook his head. "You surely are the fairest of them all, Mrs. Haddock."

Astrid grinned fiendishly. "Oh yes, I know. Mr. Haddock." The way she said his title made his heart pound rapidly in his chest and he seriously had to fight for control of the situation… wouldn't do to grab his wife and drag her out of the hall in front of everyone (their own children included). Couldn't be too obvious now…

Exhaling heavily and trying to look away from that long pale neckline, Hiccup gestured to the hall. "Full house already."

"Mhm…" Astrid stepped closer and heavily distracted him with the overwhelming scent of honey and mint perfume wafting to his face. She took his hand and firmly stood at his side, pressing her shoulder into the back of his arm.

Hiccup scoffed and kept his eyes focused on the room and not on the beautiful Valkyrie beside him. "We're already married; no need to make such a statement in claiming me." he murmured.

Astrid stroked her thumb in a slow circle through his palm, "Well I think you already accomplished that with the red mark below my collarbone from last night…" Hiccup squeaked in surprise and not-so-subtly looked at her neckline to make sure the dress covered the mark. "Besides, what would be the point-"

Hiccup's breath hitched and he whispered furiously, "Astrid stop, not now. You're not as sneaky as you used to be and are every bit as sultry. A dangerous combination if you ask me."

"You're the _chief_ …" Astrid whispered in his ear. "Who'd say anything?" Hiccup felt a blush rise up the back of his neck as he looked at the floor, quickly avoiding eye contact with anyone and clearing his throat deeply. "Besides, I'm just preparing you for the real surprise when we get back home…"

Hiccup's eyes snapped to hers in surprise. The meaning of her words hit him full force and he swallowed thickly, wiping his free hand on the side of his pants. Her expression was very calm and seemingly blank, but the one clenched muscle in her jaw spoke volumes: she was trying _so_ hard not to laugh.

Astrid presently sighed and released his hand. "Well," she smiled at him loftily and promptly walked away. "I'm thirsty."

"What- wait! You can't just-" Hiccup stopped talking when he noticed the extra swing in her hips and pouted at her back. She was being _so_ evil right now that it wasn't even funny…

A distinctly male voice interrupted his inner tangent. "Well, me and the guys _were_ going to invite you to a little after party after the party, but it's pretty clear that you'll be a trifle _held up_." A chorus of laughter erupted behind him and he turned on his heel to Snotlout and the other guys. Tuffnut was nodding at him in mock approval and Fishlegs was trying with much difficulty to hide his snicker in his mug.

"Oh shut up." Hiccup snatched his cup of leftover mead off the table and scowled at the contents. "Besides, you didn't even hear what she s-"

"Yes, we did!" Tuffnut slammed his cup down in excitement and Hiccup blanched. The guys burst into laughter at his look of abject horror and he felt his face grow hot. "Hiccup, my man, sometimes you are so gullible."

Hiccup huffed frustratedly. "You're just gloating because Svala's newly pregnant."

Tuffnut puffed up his chest. "Why yes, yes I am. And yes, yes she is."

Fishlegs snorted indignantly. "I still hold the breaking record with seven, gents. Bow down at my feet and weep!"

Hiccup snorted as the men broke into hysterics again. "Please, you guys can't possibly know my record. Just because there aren't any more kids doesn't mean there isn't any more action."

Snotlout rolled in eyes. "Yeah yeah, go ahead and gloat. You have it easy. No worrying."

"No worrying? Have you met my kids?" Hiccup asked incredulously.

"Actually I was referring to you and Astrid not having to worry about her getting pregnant. Since she can't…" Snotlout bit his tongue, kicking himself for bringing it up when Hiccup's face fell. "Sorry."

"It's fine," Hiccup perked back up. "Slip of the tongue. It happens."

Fishlegs jumped into the conversation to clear the awkward silence. "Well, you and Astrid have two great kids. What more could you ask for?"

Hiccup smiled wide and searched for both his kids across the busy hall. "Yeah. What more…"

He tapered off, eyes lingering on Astrid for a few moments. The guys didn't fail to notice the smile slip off his face and eyes cloud with deep sadness for a couple moments before he checked himself and the moment passed. He turned back to them a happy man again and it was only due to their long friendships and work together that they knew he was covering up something. But none of them dared broach the topic further—whatever he was hiding, clearly it wasn't important enough for them to know. A man's secrets were his own, after all.

Tuffnut snorted loudly a beat after Hiccup turned back to them. "Your daughter's dancing with her boyfriend."

Hiccup rolled his eyes. "My daughter doesn't have a boy-" He choked on the word and whipped around to follow his friend's gaze. Sure enough, his baby girl, dressed in an equally gorgeous purple dress like her mother's, was dancing with Erick, her hands gently clasped behind his neck. The boy had his hands resting on her hips carefully and it was all Hiccup could do to not tear across the Great Hall then and there.

"Ooooh jealous daddy's jealous." Snotlout monologued helpfully.

Hiccup grit his teeth in annoyance. "Your intellect astounds me, Snotlout."

Snotlout slapped Hiccup's shoulder. "Always. But hey, you might want to have your kids spend the night at some friends' houses tonight-"

"Shut up."

Tuffnut chortled loudly, "Yeah, because anyone could tell that tonight you are going to get l-"

"Tuffnut, seriously!" Hiccup interrupted with a wild shake of his head. He seriously did not want anyone to talk about this. Curse his wife and her gorgeous curvy body and her evil, dastardly plans to make him suffer.

"One more thing and then I'll shut up…" Hiccup spared Snotlout a warning glance before he turned away. "Make her pay for it!"

Hiccup sputtered with wide eyes and quickly walked away. How much more awkward could things seriously get? He wondered if sitting and listening in on women talk would be less awkward? But then a chatter of laughter erupted from Astrid's table with Heather, Ruffnut and Svala (all of whom were watching him with mysterious eagle eyes), and he quickly pushed that idea aside.

That's when he spotted Olaf and his wife, Lara sitting with Benen at a table toward the dance floor. With a great sigh of relief, he hurried over to them for some sense of normalcy.

* * *

Erick Larson was feeling very, very impatient. Two weeks ago, he'd given his best friend in the world, Adrianna Haddock, a big hug and promised her that he would be back. Now he _was_ back but he hadn't seen her all day. And not only was it Snoggletog, which was an exciting event on its own, it was also his birthday. So his impatience was forgivable in light of these circumstances. Although his early arrival to the Snoggletog party was a bit more logical as he and Gustav had had to secure their father to his Gronckle and walk behind him as he hovered up the stairs just in case something went wrong. And then they had to open the doors wide and allow the wheelchair bound man in and untie his chair from the dragon before it was distracted by the food on the table. So, all things considered, Erick had waited a very long time in the chilly Great Hall before most of his fellow Hooligans arrived.

"Girlfriend not showed up yet, aye?" Gustav teased, nudging his little brother on the arm.

"Shut up." Erick said with a blush.

His heart leaped when he saw a small blonde head but fell a split second later when he realized it was Helga Ingerman walking in with her parents and six siblings. There was still no sign of any of the Haddocks.

"Oh calm down." Olaf chortled at his son's obvious impatience. "She's coming."

"I'm _calm_!" Erick exclaimed unconvincingly, his voice cracking and ruining the effect. He cleared his throat, ignoring his brother's cackles. "I'm calm. I'm okay. It's... it's not _that_ important."

"Sure it is." Gustav patted Erick's back. "And I'm sure _she_ isn't at all eager to see you again. Nope."

Erick didn't hear that last part because he had finally spotted Hiccup, Benen, and Finn walking into the Hall. He stood on tiptoe to see if he could see his friend but she didn't follow them. He made a sort of whining noise in his throat and began to bounce on his toes in frustration.

"Huh, I guess we can cross punctual off the list of positive attributes. Careful, Erick, don't want her to show up late for your wedding." Gustav snorted in amusement at the sight of his brother acting like he was trying to stand on a floor made out of Fireworms.

Rather than respond, Erick punched Gustav in the stomach. This only caused Gustav to laugh harder. Just as the oldest Larson boy was retaliating with his own blow, Finn walked by and stopped to watch the spectacle.

"So this is what I missed out on, being the only boy." he commented with a smirk. "Makes me wish I had a brother. Violence starts so early."

"That it does." Olaf agreed, shaking his head. "Three boys and it's all the same. Roughhousing from the time they're toddlers."

"Where's Annie?" Erick blurted out, his patience finally dissipating.

"Thor knows." Finn replied with an amused expression at the sight of Erick speaking to him while attempting to keep Gustav in a choke-hold. "They said they'd be late."

"Oh." Erick sighed in disappointment and let up slightly, allowing Gustav to escape and try to tackle him.

"She'll get here, CK, stop panicking." Finn rolled his eyes.

"CK?" Olaf raised an eyebrow at the boy.

"Well if he's going to have both a C and a K at the end of his name when only one is required, someone might as well find a use for them." Finn replied with a shrug.

The tussle lasted only a few minutes more because Gustav spotted his son wandering in and decided that he should probably set a good example for the boy. Erick was quite grateful... for a few seconds. And then a splash of purple graced the entrance.

Erick's breath caught in his throat. Standing at the door and looking very awkward was his best friend in the world, only she didn't look like the little girl who had run barefoot through the woods with him years ago. In fact, she seemed much less a girl and more... a _lady._ Perhaps it was the dress, which was purple and accented with a sort of soft brown, two colors Erick wouldn't have thought to mix. For the first time, he noticed that she was _shaped_ like a woman (much to his embarrassment as he immediately forced his eyes upward to look at her face again). The moment she caught sight of him, she ran across the room in a rather undignified way (not that Erick minded) and threw her arms around him.

"I missed you so much!" she squealed excitedly. "Happy birthday and happy Snoggletog and happy homecoming and... just be happy!"

Erick laughed and hugged her back as tightly as he dared. She smelled _so_ good, as if she'd only just dried off from a bath. Her friend resisted the urge to breathe in her fragrance as he held her.

"I missed you too." he whispered. "I hope you weren't too bored while I was out."

"Oh, I was." Adrianna finally let him go and smoothed out her dress. "There is nothing to do here except read and fly. I missed my boys every second."

Erick, glad for an excuse to look at her for a specific reason rather than ogle from across the room, grinned widely. "Well it wasn't so exciting there either. But hey, I got up to The Lodger in your book. It was great. Really funny. I see why your dad likes it."

"Yeah he likes the ones with the Doctor inventing stuff out of all the odds and ends lying around." Adrianna tucked a piece of hair behind her ear and looked rather bashful.

Erick, sensing her slight discomfort, helped her tuck the stubborn piece of hair behind her ear. "You look really nice."

"Do I?" Adrianna looked down at her dress with a sigh. "I feel ridiculous."

"Take it from me: you don't look it." Erick sighed awkwardly before looking around the room. "Want to go get food? I'm really hungry. I've been here for over an hour."

"Yeah, that sounds nice." Adrianna bashfully remained where she was standing for a few seconds before reaching out and taking his hand in hers. "Let's go."

Erick only had a moment to be surprised that she had taken his hand before he was following his best friend through the thickening crowd toward the food. As they loaded their plates and sat down to catch up, Finn scanned the crowd for his peers and soon found them congregating toward the back of the room. As soon as his plate held enough food to feed a decent size dragon (he had gotten a lot hungrier the more he grew), he bolted over.

"Miss me?" he asked, sliding in next to Thorein and facing his other friends.

"Nah. We were just starting to forget you exist." said Gunnar Ingerman with a grin.

"Yeah, why'd you have to ruin it now?" Thorein punched Finn's shoulder rather hard.

"Very funny." Finn deadpanned. "If you want me gone all that much, I'll just go." he made a move to stand up.

"Don't listen to those idiots." Helga Ingerman said as she sat down at the table before reaching out and grabbing the front of his shirt, yanking him down rather violently. "Of course we missed you."

"I didn't." Inga Jorgenson commented as she passed the table with a few of her friends, who giggled. "In fact, I'm looking forward to your next trip off of Berk."

"Well I'm looking forward to you leaving." Finn knew his comeback was terrible but he didn't have time to come up with a good one.

"Oh look, we agree on something." the girl turned her head, her long black hair whipping Finn in the face, and strutted away, her giggly friends following closely.

"Gods, she's obnoxious." Finn mumbled through a large bite of chicken.

"You mean she doesn't worship you like all the other kids." Gunnar rolled his eyes.

"That's not why!" Finn protested through his friends' laughter.

"True enough. She also doesn't listen to you when you tell her to do something." Helga added. "You're a bit of a control freak."

"I am not!" Finn retorted, his face reddening.

"You really are." said a dark haired boy, who slid his plate next to Finn's. "And Inga's an idiot anyway."

"You shouldn't talk like that about your niece, Cale." Helga frowned at the boy, who rolled his strikingly blue eyes.

"Hey, what are uncles for?" Cale shrugged and took a big bite of chicken. "Besides," he added with a mouth full of boar, "I ought to know since I've lived with her for the last four months."

"Still..." Helga trailed off.

"If you tell me Gunnar is never an idiot, you're lying." Cale fixed a scowl on Helga from across the table.

"Oh he is. All the time." Helga laughed when Gunnar made a sound of indignation. "But I don't go around telling people that."

"Whatever." Cale immediately turned to Finn. "How were the Bog Burglars? I hear they're insane."

"Completely. They're almost all women too. It was weird." Finn's cheeks reddened slightly at the thought of Camicazi but he quickly tossed it from his mind.

A strong hand wrenched his head to the side and a firm body pushed him away from Cale. "Ow! What gives- gah…" Finn quickly evaded his eyes with a mad blush when Morgan, garbed in a busty pink dress with a swooping neckline plopped herself between him and Cale.

"Save it, Haddock. The life of the party is with the women, which means they get to call all the shots." Morgan snipped pointedly, then swiped a finger across Cale's cheek sweetly. "Hey babe."

Cale grinned almost maliciously. "Hi…"

Finn made a point to stare at his plate and ignore the way Cale's eyes swept over Morgan like she was a piece of meat. He gulped nervously and turned to Gunnar, who seemed to be oblivious to the awkward situation going on at the other end of the table. Helga, however, also seemed to be avoiding anything and everything there and was staring at him pensively. In that instant, Finn thanked the gods that Helga had the decency to wear modest clothing.

Cale finally snapped out of his trance and snorted at the younger kids, Finn especially. "Come on, Haddock, relax. I could teach you a few things if you loosened up a bit."

Finn coughed and scratched the back of his neck. "I'm sure you could."

"You're hesitant, I get it. One day you'll loosen up and when that day comes…" Cale shot a scandalous wink at Helga that made Finn's blood curdle. "Call me."

"Come on, Helga," Finn sighed heavily. "Let's go get some punch."

"Gladly!" Helga jumped up, nearly shoving Thorein's head into his bowl of stew when she used his head as a crutch. So like her mother…

Cale laughed heartily when they walked away, his nose buried in Morgan's long blonde tresses. "Fine, but you're missing out on some fine education!"

Once they were out of earshot, Helga shivered. "Ugh, that guy gives me the willies."

"He's not bad… not until Morgan comes around anyway. Then he's kinda…"

"Vocal? Obvious? Needing to make an appointment with the tailor?"

" _Helga_!" Finn squeaked, his voice cracking painfully. Sometimes he could curse the fact that her mother was Ruffnut because occasionally she had absolutely _no_ filter… "Is this what it was like for my parents to grow up with your mother?"

"And my uncle… oh, and Snotlout and my dad-"

"Well yeah, but your dad would sooner chop off his own hand if someone had him say something… weird."

Helga scoffed, "Trust me, my dad says plenty of weird things."

Finn shook his head, "And I'm confident that there is more than one definition for 'weird.'"

"And that, my good friend, is where my father's genetics come into play."

Finn laughed heartily. "Yeah yeah, okay, you win."

Helga gasped. "What? The infamous Fearless Finn Haddock is… deferring? Oh, someday write down the date!"

"Why…" Finn stopped in his tracks with a look of confusion. "Why would we write down the date? It's Snoggletog, we could just remember it."

Helga twirled a long blonde curl around her finger. "Ohhh and now he's giving me extra tips to help me remember it. Who needs Cale to teach you anything when you've got the talent already?" Finn stared at her in stricken confusion and she giggled goofily, "Me lovin' some Haddock." Finn squeaked in shock and she punched his shoulder. "Oh come on, lighten up. Gee, Cale does have something right in his too gorgeous noggin'."

Helga sauntered toward the drink stand, leaving Finn to stand gobsmacked and confused. Yeah, he was convinced—women were strange, strange creatures that he'd never understand.

Music seemed to start out of nowhere. It was funny how something as simple as a few musicians plucking or blowing into oddly shaped instruments could change the tone of the party so abruptly. One moment, couples were snuggling or talking to each other from all over the Hall. The next, most of them pulled tables and chairs out of the way to make room for the dancing. And, as usual, the dancing grew more lively as the music got louder. Soon the Hall was filled with laughter and men twirling their wives, fiancees, or girlfriends around in circles. It was as if a spell had been cast over the entire population of Berk.

Finn watched the dancers with an amused expression before he felt someone poking his arm. "What?"

"Want to dance?" asked Helga, nodding to the middle of the floor and putting the drink she'd just gotten down on the closest table.

"Wh- _what_?" Finn sputtered in surprise.

"Do. You. Want. To. Dance?" Helga slowly repeated as if she was talking to a toddler.

"Oh... umm... I mean... uhh..." Finn scratched the back of his head, his face turning bright red.

"Well?"

" _Sure_!" Finn squeaked, his voice cracking horribly. "Uhh... I mean sure... whatever."

Helga grabbed his hand and yanked him to his feet before pulling him onto the dance floor. Finn stumbled a few times before straightening up and praying that no one had witnessed this horribly awkward moment. He'd never hear the end of it.

Meanwhile, Adrianna and Erick were sitting back and simply watching the crowd of people moving to the music, some more coordinated than others.

"It's so sweet." Adrianna sighed.

"What is?" Erick asked, turning to her and raising an eyebrow.

"The way your parents still dance with each other." Adrianna rested her cheek on her hand and watched the Larsons dance with a big grin on her face. "It doesn't matter that your dad can't walk; they still find a way."

"Yeah..." Erick smiled fondly. "Yeah, they do."

"True love always finds a way around everything." Adrianna watched her best friend's parents for a few seconds before nudging her friend on the shoulder. "Do you want to dance?"

"Me? Now?" Erick's cheeks reddened considerably.

Adrianna's face fell. "Well... if you don't want to..."

"No! I mean yes! Yes, I do!" Erick's blush deepened at the near accidental rejection of his best friend.

The two teenagers got on their feet and sauntered onto the edge of the dance floor. As many times as Erick had hugged Adrianna, he still felt awkward placing one of his hands on her hip. He had only danced once before when his sister Aud randomly decided he needed to learn so he was feeling quite nervous. Adrianna had danced with Hiccup a few times but this felt completely different. Where she and her father had made a show of hopping all over the room and twirling as much as possible, this wasn't the same thing. This... was _new_. Both Erick and Adrianna had a pretty good sense of rhythm so as they began to sway to the music, they felt several eyes on them, some from adults who gave the young couple a very knowing smile.

"Is this okay?" Erick asked in a low voice. "I mean... are you... umm..."

"Comfortable?" Adrianna suggested. "Absolutely. You're not bad."

"I'm not?" Erick laughed shakily. "I'm out of practice. Well, I was never really _in_ practice, truth be told."

"It's okay; I'm not much of a dancer either. You're doing splendidly." Adrianna playfully squeezed his hand, causing his smile to widen.

"I know I kind of said this already," Erick leaned in and whispered in her ear, "but you look beautiful."

"And you look quite handsome." Adrianna whispered back with a wink. "Or maybe that's just because I missed you so much."

"That would make more sense." Erick quipped. "I don't look any different."

"I never said you weren't handsome all the time." Adrianna muttered so softly he almost didn't hear her.

At this, Erick's blush became far more prominent and he didn't seem to know what to say next so he remained silent. The two of them listened to the music and continued to dance, both of them just beginning to feel very comfortable in the movements and with each other. In fact, something seemed to be happening as Adrianna and Erick crossed the dance floor, their eyes fixed on each other. Butterflies fluttered through the Haddock girl's stomach as she moved to the music. Erick's touch was gentle, but it didn't seem to come from the impression that she was fragile. Rather, it was loving, tender... as if she was something valuable to be handled with care. As if he wanted to make sure she remained safe, her beauty untainted. To him, she was worth more than the rarest of jewels or the finest embroidery in the archipelago. Soon, both his hands made their way down to her waist and he brought her closer to him. She hooked her hands around his neck and leaned in, allowing their foreheads to touch as the music steadily continued. She could feel his warm breath on her face, his lips coming tantalizingly close, his hair tickling her forehead ever so slightly...

The song that had been casting the spell over the young couple ended far too soon, leaving an eerie silence in its wake. Erick and Adrianna didn't move; they merely stood and waited for the next song. A familiar Snoggletog carol soon filled the Hall and the couples around them continued to dance. So distracted were they with each other, it took Erick and Adrianna a few seconds to realize that they could continue dancing. As they moved, Adrianna heard something by her ear, a soft voice singing along with the carol. Her smile widened. It was a very pleasant tenor voice, so soft it was almost inaudible and yet perfectly on key.

"I didn't know you sang." she finally muttered to him.

Erick stopped mid syllable and the pink tinge returned to his cheeks. He coughed once and went completely silent.

"Oh no, don't stop." Adrianna shook her head the tiniest bit. "I liked it."

"I just... I don't usually sing in front of people." Erick breathed a laugh. "I didn't even notice I was doing it."

"You have a really nice voice." Adrianna whispered in his ear. "It's a shame you don't share it."

Erick shrugged and became silent. A few seconds later, a gentle, soprano voice began to fill his ears. He stared at Adrianna with wide eyes. She winked at him and continued to sing perfectly on key. After he recovered from the shock of having such an angelic sound emanating from so close to him, he began to sing along with her in a simple harmony. Their voices mingled together and seemed to create a beautiful sound all its own. The young couple smiled as they sang, their voices slowly growing louder so that those around them could enjoy the soft music they created together. When the Snoggletog carol ended, they both sighed contentedly.

"Do you want to keep dancing or... I guess, watch for a bit?" Erick asked his best friend.

"Let's sit the next song out." Adrianna's heart fluttered when Erick took her hand and led her to the edge of the room.

The next song was lively, causing everyone in the room to hop around and twirl and, all in all, look awfully silly. Erick and Adrianna laughed at the antics of some of their friends, of Snotlout and Heather dancing so wildly others would step out of their way, of Tuffnut and Svala going out of their way to bump into them and laughing when they stumbled, of Finn nearly tripping over his own feet as he danced with Helga... and of Ruffnut holding a sprig of mistletoe over Hiccup and Astrid's heads. Adrianna's parents glanced mischievously at each other for a second before they kissed so passionately, there were several cheers. Hiccup, enjoying the attention he was receiving, dipped his wife, causing her to make a tiny squeak of surprise, and finally broke apart, their eyes fixed on each other. Astrid laughed as he helped her stand again before running to the tables to subject another couple to the powers of the mistletoe.

"Why do people kiss under the mistletoe?" Erick mumbled to himself.

Adrianna, who hadn't realized his question was rhetorical, decided to speak up. "I think it's romantic no matter how it started."

Erick looked over at her and smiled. "I didn't say it wasn't. But what about mistletoe is so special? Or kissing, for that matter?"

Adrianna's eyebrows raised. "You've never kissed anyone?" her cheeks reddened when she realized how that had sounded. "I mean I haven't either but... I just sort of thought since you're fifteen now..."

"No, I haven't." Erick shook his head. "I mean... who... you know, who would..."

Adrianna breathed a laugh and averted her eyes. "It's okay, I didn't mean to... sorry."

"No, it's all right." Erick said calmly. "I know what you meant."

For a moment, there was absolute silence between them as they watched the dancing continue. And then, almost as one, they both looked at each other... and looked up. High in the rafters of the Hall was a single sprig of mistletoe directly above their heads. Slowly, _very_ slowly, their heads lowered and bright green eyes met smooth teal. Adrianna's hands began to fidget nervously. Larger, callused hands soon closed over them. Erick leaned in a bit so that their foreheads were touching. His heart was drumming against his ribcage and he could hear Adrianna's doing the same. He tried to stare into her eyes but his eyes flicked once, twice to her pink lips. Adrianna stared back at him almost patiently and he could feel the warmth rise to his cheeks for what felt like the hundredth time that night. Before he made a conscious decision, he felt his his lips ghost over hers... then he froze. Adrianna's eyes were also half-lidded and he expected her to back away, but she surprised him with a smile. Gently resting her fingers against his jaw, she pulled his mouth the rest of the way to meet her own.

Erick's breath hitched in his throat as his eyes finally closed. He dared not to move for fear of destroying this moment forever. He couldn't help but think that her lips fit so perfectly against his. Every detail suddenly logged into his memory of their own accord-her head tilted _just_ to the right, her eyelashes gently tickling his cheeks, the softness of her hand against his jaw...

Instinct seemed to take over and he leaned closer to her, deepening the kiss ever so slightly. Adrianna inhaled sharply in surprise and suddenly felt Erick's fingertips brushing through her bangs toward her ear. Her heart continued to pound in her chest at this new experience, something she'd never thought in all of her life that she'd do... _kiss_ her best friend.

Erick reluctantly pulled away, instantly wishing he could wrap his mouth around hers deeper, more passionately... but he couldn't do that. He reveled in her breath still ghosting over his lips and he took his time in opening his eyes. A part of him was amused to see her just opening her eyes as well. He suddenly realized his fingers were still lightly threaded into her hair and her hand had slid to his shoulder...

And the sound of someone's laughter broke through the sweet barrier they'd created. Erick glanced over to see Gustav snickering with a few adults, his older brother giving him a wise look of approval. Erick blushed madly and snapped his head back to Adrianna, though he quietly cleared his throat and couldn't meet her eyes. Finally he felt the need to say something.

"Well... that was..." Wow. Amazing. The best thing he'd ever done. So many thoughts flew through his mind and he couldn't decide which was the best and wisest to say.

But Adrianna shrugged gently, nervously answering for him, "Nice..."

"Yeah, it was-" Erick froze and finally looked into her eyes. "Yeah?"

"Yeah..." Adrianna looked toward her boots and bit her lip subconsciously.

Erick flushed again at taking notice of that and sorely wished she hadn't done it. Because now he just wanted to kiss her again... _no_. It was just for the mistletoe. He couldn't kiss her again, especially since Gustav and so many other people had _noticed_... Oh gods, what if _Hiccup_ had seen that? And now Adrianna was looking back up at him with innocent green eyes that brought warmth to her pale skin and light pink lips...

Oh _gods_ , what had he done? He'd never think about her the same again after tonight. _Never._ But... that wasn't a bad thing... was it? He snapped out of his reverie when he realized Adrianna looked kind of awkward through his long pause, probably waiting for some response.

Erick still couldn't think of anything to say so he merely smiled wide. "Yeah."

Dimples. Adrianna loved his dimples... she always had. And whenever she saw them on his face, she knew without a shadow of a doubt that he was happy. Seeing them now... seeing him so happy after... _that_? She wanted to kiss him again, it made her so happy to see him happy. But no, she couldn't do that. That was just for the mistletoe. If her daddy didn't come over and skin Erick alive the first time, he'd surely do it the second time.

* * *

Sprig of mistletoe in hand, Hiccup ran through the sea of tables with his wife just behind him. Their eyes fell on Heather and Snotlout at the same time and, with identical mischievous grins, they immediately bounded over. Hiccup weaseled his way through a several burly men to stand behind the Jorgenson couple with a triumphant smirk. They looked at him in confusion but saw the mistletoe before either could get a good look at him.

Snotlout gave a mock sigh. "Dang it. I just _hate_ this part of the party."

Heather growled roguishly. "Oh shut up and kiss me, idiot."

The twin Jorgenson boys shrieked in disgust and promptly ran away when their parents began to almost ferociously kiss. Hiccup and Astrid laughed at the boys' terror. Hiccup cleared his throat after a few moments, starting to feel a little awkward himself with Snotlout and Heather's making out directly in front of him. Snotlout merely held out a hand for him to hand over the mistletoe.

Hiccup dropped the plant in his hand and grabbed Astrid's. "That's our cue."

Snotlout and Heather broke apart with equally giddy laughter. "Oh, sit down and stay a while!" Heather chirped cheerfully. "We could use the company." her Gronckle growled indignantly. "Oh hush, you know what I meant." Heather patted the dragon on the head with an amused smile.

Toothless, who seemed to have appeared out of nowhere from behind the table, rumbled at Hookfang. The Monstrous Nightmare promptly growled back and the dragons proceeded to have a conversation only they understood. Their humans watched them for a while before Hiccup and Astrid finally decided to take Heather's advice and sit down. Olaf and Benen, who had been talking to each other one table over, decided to join them as well.

"Well I think we can consider this one of the best Snoggletog parties we've ever had." Olaf said with a smile as he leaned against the back of his chair. "

"Yeah, it's been great." Hiccup's eyes scanned the crowd and he beamed as he watched all of his people enjoying themselves. "Perfect day to come home, I'd say."

"Agreed." said Astrid, leaning over and kissing him on the cheek. "We all missed our boys."

"Some more than others." Benen stated, nodding to Erick and Adrianna, who were in an opposite corner.

Hiccup stiffened. "What are they _doing_?"

"Talking, looks like." Astrid shrugged and patted her husband's shoulder. "Stop panicking."

"Yes but they're standing _really_ close together!" Hiccup leaned forward as if this would help him get a better view of the couple.

A few dancers immediately blocked Adrianna and Erick from their sight for a few seconds. The Hooligan chief straightened up, trying to see over their heads to no avail. When the group finally danced away from their vision, Hiccup got the perfect view of his daughter and her best friend connected at the lips, her hand caressing the Larson boy's jaw and his gently threading his fingers through her hair. The girl's father choked on thin air and stood up so quickly, he nearly made himself dizzy.

"I'm going to _kill_ him!" he bellowed in a voice that was, thankfully, drowned out by the music.

Benen timidly grasped his arm and tried to keep him from bolting over and putting a stop to his daughter and Erick's moment. Astrid immediately grabbed his collar and the two of them successfully yanked him back down. Hiccup finally went limp in their arms, his eyes fixed on his daughter and glaring daggers at the boy who was still standing far too close to her.

"How dare he... with _my_ daughter!" Hiccup sputtered indignantly.

"Oh hush." Astrid let go of his collar and began to rub his back. "Remember what you're always telling the twins: share."

"I never told her to share _spit_!" Hiccup growled, crossing his arms in front of his chest.

"Ew, Hiccup, they're not even- look, they've already pulled apart." Astrid pointed to the couple with an exasperated sigh.

"Lucky for him, or else I'd tear him to shreds." Hiccup grumbled. He suddenly stiffened again. "Oh gods... his fingers are still in her hair!"

"Oh, relax." Astrid punched him on the shoulder with her other hand. "We did worse things at that age."

"We weren't even _talking_ at that age!" Hiccup shouted, causing her to wince at the sudden noise.

"True. But we were doing worse when we _were_ talking." Astrid winked at him.

Hiccup sighed and rolled his eyes. "You make us sound so chaste."

Everyone around them laughed out loud, causing Hiccup to scowl and tighten his crossed arms.

"Well you can relax." Olaf said serenely. "As you can now see, my son's fingers are out of your daughter's hair."

Hiccup deflated with a snort. "For now." he scraped his fingernails down the table pensively. "I always knew he was trouble. He always had this traitorous look in his eye..."

Olaf gasped. "Chief-"

"He has this evil look in his eye and I don't like it!" Hiccup insisted as if he hadn't heard the boy's father's protest.

"You know, it could be worse." Olaf reminded him. "My Aud had her first kiss at seven."

"Well... she didn't _marry_ him, did she?" Hiccup gazed at Olaf with wide eyes.

"Of course not." Olaf shook his head and Hiccup sighed in relief. "At least not until this summer."

"WHAT?" Hiccup's hand slammed into the table in his horror.

Olaf burst out laughing. "Apparently you don't pay much attention at weddings." he guffawed. "You married her and her husband last summer."

"Oh... right." Hiccup put a hand to his face to hopefully mask its bright red hue. "Well... shut up."

Olaf sighed with a mild chuckle. "Sir, with all due respect, you're being ridiculous." Hiccup opened his mouth to argue and Olaf held up a hand. "Erick would never touch her-"

"Really?" Hiccup immediately pointed to Erick, who was now carefully and slowly brushing Adrianna's bangs out of her eyes.

"You know what I mean, Hiccup." Olaf shook his head. "My boy would never do anything harmful to her. Over his dead body."

"Yeah, he raised Erick better than you raised Finn." Snotlout added with a derisive laugh.

"Ah, speaking which," Benen spoke up at last. "I believe Erick and Adrianna are a wonderful match indeed... but as far as Finn is concerned, there's no better match for him than with your daughter, Snotlout."

"Finn and Inga?" Snotlout let out a laugh of disbelief. "Yeah, maybe if they didn't _hate_ each other. I think you mean Helga."

"Oh no, I mean Inga." Benen smiled at the Jorgenson girl, who was watching the dancing with a group of friends. "She's stubborn, responsible, mature for her age... she would balance out Finn's flaws perfectly."

"Over my dead body." Snotlout snarled. "If he as much as _looks_ at her the wrong way, I will skin him alive."

"No need for drastic measures." Heather squeezed his arm. "If it's meant to be, it'll be."

"It most certainly is _not_ meant to be!" Snotlout insisted in a loud voice.

"Relax, Lout, you're ruining the peace." Hiccup said with a grin.

"You're ruining the peace by allowing your spawn to take my daughter-"

"What... _spawn_?" Astrid gasped indignantly. "He's not even trying anything!"

"And he'd better keep it that way." Snotlout crossed his arms and glared at Finn from across the room.

"Oh, you don't have anything to worry about right now." Benen said serenely. "He seems rather taken with the Ingerman girl. I'm just saying that it won't last. They're far too similar for their own good."

"Yeah, I can see how that might be a bit of a problem, come to think of it." Hiccup chortled. "What do you know... well, Snotlout, I think your family tree could benefit from a bit of Haddock blood."

"Shut up, you." Snotlout snarled.

"I suppose that would make our girls sisters... and us... I guess we'd be kind of like reverse cousins!" Hiccup put an arm around his disgruntled friend.

"Being related to you in any way would be a fate worse than death." Snotlout struggled out from under Hiccup's arm.

"Aww, don't be like that Snotlout." Astrid giggled. "Is that any way to treat family?"

"I said shut up!" Snotlout bellowed.

"Don't let them get to you, sweetheart." Heather put her head on her husband's shoulder. "Finn isn't even looking at Inga."

"You should be worried about this too!" Snotlout hissed through his teeth. "That boy is a menace, always has been."

"He's a perfect gentleman!" Astrid retorted. "You're the menace!"

As the argument between Astrid and Snotlout continued, Benen leaned over Hiccup so only he could hear him. "Hiccup, I was wondering if I could have a moment of your time?"

"Of course." Hiccup nodded. "Don't do anything I wouldn't do." he added to Snotlout with a grin.

The Hooligan chief followed Benen across the Hall to the large double doors. As soon as he and Benen were outside and the music was quiet enough to speak without shouting, the elderly man sighed.

"Is everything okay?" Hiccup asked in a low voice.

"Hm? Oh yes." Benen nodded. "I didn't mean to alarm you. I'm just wondering how to put this into words..." he thought about it a few more seconds as Hiccup patiently waited. "I went to the healer's the other day. Apparently..." Benen let out a chuckle and shook his head. "Sorry, it's just a strange thing to be saying out loud. Apparently I'm dying."

"What?" Hiccup gasped, suddenly finding himself unable to breathe properly. "Dying?"

"Oh no, it's not quite as bad as all that."Benen put up a hand. "I'm not going to drop dead sometime next week or anything. Mara tells me that my heart is getting weaker. I have to be careful what I do from now on. I could have months or years."

"But... _dying_? How..." Hiccup slowly put his fingers through his hair. "What about Finn?"

Benen sighed deeply. "Sometimes I think Finn forgets our difference in age. It's almost like he thinks I'll live forever."

"I see what you mean." Hiccup shook his head, his heart suddenly heavy. "We're going to have to tell him." his throat constricted painfully. "And... and Addie too."

Benen placed a hand on Hiccup's shoulder. "It's a part of life. I'm an old man, Hiccup. I don't fear death. Nor do I dread it. Truth be told, I believe I would have died a long time ago if you and your people hadn't taken such excellent care of me. I was frail when you found me all those years ago. I didn't have much time left. But the time I've spent here has been the best years of my life. And I will be forever grateful."

"We're the ones who should be thanking you, Benen." Hiccup smiled at his friend. "You've brought so much joy into our lives. And we've needed that." he quickly hugged the older man and patted him on the back. "Tonight isn't the time to tell the kids. Or Astrid, for that matter. But it's cold so let's enjoy the rest of the party."

"Yes, let's." Benen shivered and led Hiccup into the Hall.

"Thanks for telling me." Hiccup whispered to him before spotting their friends still arguing several tables away.

* * *

It was the perfect night. Absolutely perfect. Erick felt his heart pounding against his ribs when he finally took Adrianna back onto the dance floor and the two teenagers had danced until there were fewer Hooligans packed into the Great Hall. He had hardly noticed the time passing at all until he became aware of several council members beginning to take down a few of the lights.

"Hey... Annie?" Erick's heart nearly melted when he bright green eyes fixed on his. "Can you hold on for just a second?"

The Haddock girl nodded, looking quite amused for some reason. Erick immediately bolted over to where Hiccup was standing and talking to Fishlegs. He bounced on his toes for a few seconds before timidly reaching forward and tapping his chief on the shoulder. Hiccup turned around and Erick saw a flash of something quite frightening for just a second. It disappeared a split second later, leaving the Larson boy to hope that it had just been a trick of the light.

"Umm chief... would it be all right if I..." Erick cleared his throat rather loudly, his cheeks turning pink. "If I walked Adrianna home?"

Hiccup seemed to deflate. "If you must." he nodded with a sigh.

The boy distinctly heard laughter from the chief's friends as he walked back to the radiant girl with whom he had spent the whole evening. He nervously held out his hand and was relieved when she immediately took it without the slightest hesitation.

"Your dad says it's okay for me to walk you home." he said cheerfully. "And walk you home I shall."

"Lead on, kind sir." Adrianna said cheerfully.

There was something special about walking through the Great Hall with a beautiful girl at his side. Even the girls who usually made fun of Adrianna didn't have a single thing to say as the young couple walked past their group. As they made their way through the snow, they were silent for a few minutes, their hands tightly clasped and their eyes taking in the beautiful village square around them. They both loved how quiet it was whenever it snowed. It almost seemed a shame to break the potent silence around them. And so they walked without a word, allowing the tiny crunching sounds of their boots against the snow to permeate the still atmosphere.

They seemed to arrive at the Haddock house far too soon. Erick turned to face his best friend, his heart skipping a beat at how red her cheeks and nose had become thanks to the cold. She was a beautiful sight indeed.

"I had a really great time tonight." he said softly, reaching up and brushing her stray bangs from in front of her sparkly green eyes.

"Me too." Adrianna averted his gaze and stared at their clasped hands for a few seconds. "It was... different. Good different."

"Yes." Erick breathed a laugh. "I think we have a lot to talk about."

Adrianna nodded. "We do."

"Annie," Erick gently grasped her chin with his hand and raised it so that she was looking at him. "I was wondering... do you want to go on a flight tomorrow afternoon? Charger or Lily, your pick."

"I'd like that." Adrianna smiled up at him.

For a moment, Erick hesitated. At the party, he knew he couldn't give into temptation because there were people around. But Adrianna was _so_ beautiful in the glow of the multicolored Snoggletog lights. No one was around. It was just them, alone in the beautiful world they had created together... and Erick was feeling a little bit reckless.

He leaned in and pressed his lips against hers, reveling in their softness once more. She gasped in surprise but quickly relished the warmth of his lips so much that she didn't stop to wonder how they had remained warm in this frigid weather. Her fingers slipped from his and reached up to stroke his cheek. For a few seconds, everything was perfect. Adrianna's body was on fire, her head full of thoughts and feelings she'd never had before all racing through it faster than she could process them.

The moment ended far too soon. Erick and Adrianna stared at each other, their reflections in each other's eyes silently begging for more... but now wasn't the time. The Haddock girl was tired and she knew he probably was too. So she allowed him to slowly move away from her, her fingers dropping from his cheek to her side.

"Good night, Annie." Erick tenderly whispered before turning and walking in the direction of his house.

Adrianna watched him walk away for nearly a minute before she became suddenly aware of the fact that she was holding her breath. She exhaled so rapidly, she began to feel a bit lightheaded. But as she finally walked up to her house and slid in through the front door, she began to question everything rushing through her mind, especially the conclusion it all seemed to reach.

Was she... could she be... _no_... well, maybe? The girl smiled at nothing in particular as she hung up her coat, her hands shaking the tiniest bit. She could feel heat rising to her face at the very _thought_... but it needed thinking all the same.

A question soon began to burn in her mind, enveloping everything else in its wake: was _this_ what it was like to fall in love?


	6. Epidemic

Darkness. Warmth. Ultimate comfort. Deep sleep doesn't come often but when it does, it's the most satisfying thing a person can experience. Nothing in the world is better than being burrowed under the covers, snuggled up beside your loved one-

BANG! BANG! BANG!

Hiccup jerked violently, half sitting up on his arms to locate the disruptive sound. Toothless jerked from his rock bed and growled toward the downstairs. Astrid sharply inhaled at Hiccup's jerked movements and tried to sit up when the banging continued.

"What…" Astrid asked groggily.

That's when the shouting registered: "CHIEF! CHIEF HICCUP, HELP WE NEED YOU! CHIEF!"

Hiccup tore off the covers and scrambled for his prosthetic and some clothes. Something was happening, something huge; nobody came screaming for their chief in the wee hours of the morning for nothing. Within seconds Hiccup had thrown the door open and pounded down the stairs, the sound of his prosthetic slamming against the wood echoing through the quiet house. He charged to the front door and threw it open to reveal…

"Erick?"

Erick sighed in relief, but fear was etched deeply into his face. "Chief…" He began breathlessly, choking on air. Hiccup realized Charger was with Signa for an early morning flight, so the boy had had to run all the way here from his house. "W-we need help, the healer and the Goethi, somebody who can help, anyone-"

"Erick, Erick!"Hiccup rested his hands on the boy's shoulders and looked at him firmly. "Slow down. What's wrong?"

Erick rubbed his forehead to try to calm down. Finally he looked back up at the chief and rasped, "It's my dad. H-he didn't feel well when they went home last night so he went to bed early, but…" Erick swallowed thickly. "H-he's had a fever all night and m-my mom said he'd be fine by morning and then he started coughing and… S-she sent me to get help b-but I didn't know who to-"

"Hey hey, it's okay," Hiccup interrupted the distressed young man. "You were right to come to me. Is he still home?" Erick nodded and Hiccup pulled him inside. "All right, give me thirty seconds to change." Erick nodded and Hiccup turned to sprint up the stairs, blowing past Finn and Adrianna standing in the middle of the stairs in confusion. To Astrid, who'd already quickly dressed, he commanded, "Go get Mara to the Larson's house. Right now."

Astrid nodded and tromped back down the stairs, snatched her coat off its hook and ran outside to the barn. Erick watched through the open door as she flew away on Stormfly, his heart pounding and throat tightly constricted.

"Erick?" Erick jumped and turned to see Adrianna standing at the bottom of the stairs. He vaguely noticed she was only wearing a nightdress, but worry caused him to ignore that fact. Adrianna carefully stepped up to him as if he was a dangerous dragon. Wondering if he looked that freaked out, he cleared his throat and looked at his snow-covered boots. "What's wrong?"

Erick swallowed thickly again. "My dad's sick…" He sighed heavily, looking back out the door as Toothless ran down the stairs and began pawing at the snow outside irritably. "I-I don't know what's wrong…"

"I'm sure everything's okay…" Adrianna moved to wrap her arms around him but Erick jerked back and stepped away from her.

"No no, don't touch me!" Erick's teal eyes widened suddenly and he stepped away from Finn on his other side. "What if whatever he has is contagious? Gods, what if I get you s-"

"Let's not go assuming things, buddy." Hiccup said as he tromped noisily back down the stairs. "It's probably just a common sickness. Come on, we'll go talk to Mara. You two stay here-"

"But I want to come!" Adrianna argued.

Hiccup watched Erick nearly run outside before turning to his two kids. "No, because if this _is_ something serious, I won't risk you two getting sick. It's still early besides; stay here, get something to eat, wake up a bit. Treat it as a normal day."

"Well, it's not every day another teen comes pounding on our door at five am, dad." Finn raised an eyebrow.

Hiccup sighed, "Please, just do as I say. I have to help Erick now. I won't force you to do anything, but I trust you both enough to do as I ask. So please, until further notice, just stay away from the Larsons'. Alright?"

Finn nodded immediately, not too keen on the idea of getting sick. Adrianna frowned pitifully at her bare toes before Hiccup lifted her chin with a single finger to raise a questioning eyebrow at her. She finally sighed, "Okay."

"Thank you." Hiccup kissed his daughter's forehead before tugging some gloves over his hands. "I'll send you word once we know what's going on." With that he ran outside and jumped into his saddle. The Haddock twins watched him offer a hand to Erick, who almost nervously took it and climbed on Toothless' back behind the chief. With a strong gust of wind from Toothless' wings, the Haddock household shrank below them. The village loomed closer within seconds and from the corner of his eye, Hiccup could already see Astrid and Stormfly heading to the Larsons' home from the direction of the healer's.

Hiccup set his jaw as Erick's house loomed closer and he hoped and prayed that whatever Olaf had wasn't too serious.

* * *

Finn ground his teeth together impatiently, his head in his hands as he stared at the table top. He prayed to every god he could think of for mercy from this ultimate torture, this inexpressible _torment_ …

"By the gods good graces, can just sit _down_?" He finally griped to his sister whose pacing was driving him absolutely bonkers. "You're stressing me out!"

"It's been four hours!" Adrianna cried from the window. "What do you want me to do?"

"I think I just stated what I want you to do very clearly. Or did you not hear me?"

"Oh I'm sorry if I can't just sit still when things fall apart."

"Things aren't falling apart! Stop blowing things out of proportion all the time." Finn rolled his eyes. "It's just a winter sickness, nothing dad can't fix. Have a little faith."

"And _you_ should stop being so overly confident. Who's to say it's some simple sickness?" Adrianna shot back. "This is Olaf Larson we're talking about! We've known his since we were toddlers! Heck, he's been a good friend to mom and dad for years, even sat with them at the same table yesterday! Or can you not remember all the way back to yesterday?"

Finn growled low in his throat, arching backwards in his chair and nearly clawing at his eyes. " _Gods_ , you're _so_ annoying!"

"And you're a selfish brat!"

"Selfish?! Who're _you_ calling _selfish_?"

"The only obnoxious hothead in the room at the moment."

"And you're the over-emotional, gullible, cheeky blonde that can't just act normal. That's right—eat my dirt." Finn smirked.

"Careful Finn," Adrianna smirked back. "Snot is not becoming." Finn flushed angrily, but a loud screech interrupted him.

A Terrible Terror crawled through a messenger opening with a small piece of paper tied to its ankle. Finn jumped from his chair and tried to snatch up the dragon, but it growled at his aggression and crawled up Adrianna's leg. She smiled at him smugly and untied the note. Finn crossed his arms in annoyance, making a face at the preening dragon.

Adrianna's face fell and she looked up at him, his own malicious expression fading. She turned the note around for him to see and aloud, he read:

_Come to the Great Hall immediately. –Dad_

Finn looked up at his sister from the note and wordlessly, they made their way to the door, Terrible Terror in tow. They jogged to the barn and instantly saddled up, not even taking the time to greet their dragons or pet their snouts. If their dad told them to come to the Great Hall without further explanation, then surely something bad was happening.

Less than five minutes later, they landed at the top of the stairs and ran inside the Hall. And what they saw stopped them in their tracks.

Most of the tables in the Great Hall had been moved to one side of the Hall, nearly emptying the other side. And on the empty side were a series of cots and make-shift beds along the cobblestone floor. Hiccup and Astrid were standing toward the center firepit, talking to council members. The words "sickness" and "unknown" wafted toward them, but neither teenager could properly discern what their father was saying. The Larson family was there with Olaf lying on a bed toward the back. Adrianna made a move toward them, but Finn suddenly caught her arm, his eyes firm on the closest bed to them. Mara, the village healer, and Elder Goethi were attending to one woman in particular that made Adrianna's heart leap.

"Svala?" Adrianna stepped forward. Svala Thorston… she was newly pregnant! She couldn't be sick! Her usually golden skin was pale and sweaty while Tuffnut sat the opposite side of the Elder and healer, holding his wife's hand. Adrianna couldn't stand the sight as she ran forward, "Svala!"

Hiccup stepped between her and the sanctioned area, effortlessly blocking her view. "Addie, hold on. Sweetie… Finn." He sighed slowly and looked each of them in the eyes. "This is more serious than we hoped." Hiccup cast a long, worried look around the Hall for a moment. "Your mom told me that Mara couldn't come to the Larsons because a few others had come to her around the same time. Mostly adults—there's one teenager…"

"Who?" Adrianna demanded instantly.

Hiccup watched her carefully. "Taryn." Addie's eyes widened and Finn gawked at him.

"What? No, she was fine last night, she was sitting at our table-"

"Finn…" Hiccup rested a hand on his shoulder. "I don't have answers. Mara and the Elder don't know what it is yet. But this area is now quarantined. From here on out, until this sickness is gone, no one can come near those who are sick."

"What about Erick? Is he sick?" Adrianna asked impatiently.

Hiccup sighed. "Not as of right now… but he won't leave Olaf's side. Can you blame him?"

"But what if he gets sick-"

"Addie, if I got this and was laid down on a mat, would you leave my side despite the risks?" Adrianna remained silent and Hiccup gently pulled her to his side. "I don't blame him. Mara said he could stay, as could his mother, but she'd have to keep a close eye on them."

Finn quietly asked, "So if this is quarantined, why did you call us here?"

"Because I need both of you to do me a favor," Hiccup turned to both of them again. "People usually come here for meals. We need everyone to know that they cannot, under any circumstances, come in. We need to prevent the spread of this sickness as much as possible."

"What if we've already been exposed?" Finn asked impatiently.

A sharp poke of a staff at his hip made him jerk and the Elder yanked him down by the collar. She opened Finn's mouth and stuck her tongue out at him. Finn raised an eyebrow and Hiccup said, "Stick out your tongue." Finn complied and within seconds, the Elder waved him off. "Good, you're clear for now. Addie?" The Goethi checked her next and she too was healthy. Then the Elder turned a wary eye up at the chief. "Goethi, I'm f-Ah…" The twins snickered as the small elderly woman nearly yanked their tall father to his knees and also checked his throat.

"Remind me never to get on your bad side," Finn smirked. The Goethi poked her fist in Finn's face in mock disapproval.

Adrianna turned to Hiccup curiously. "What's she looking for?"

Hiccup eyed the Goethi curiously, "We think the first signs are fever and white spots on the tongue. That seems to be what everyone has-"

"Do we know what the sickness is?"

Elder Goethi groaned low in her throat and walked away, seemingly irritated, though they assumed her frustration wasn't with them. Hiccup sighed as he watched her return to Svala. "No. We don't."

"What about a cure-"

"Listen," Hiccup interrupted. "I just need you two to fly around the village and tell as many as possible to stay home and only to come to the Great Hall if they need to see Mara. Can you guys do that for me?"

Finn shrugged. "Then what?"

Hiccup chewed his lip pensively, having a mental conversation with Horst from across the room. "We'll need to call a meeting… Also, I hate to load all of this onto you two, but can you also tell people to meet at the village square at eleven? We need to tell everyone what's going on."

Finn nodded resolutely. "Don't go to the Great Hall unless you're super sick. Meet at village square at eleven. Got it."

Adrianna followed her brother outside the hall doors and climbed into Lily's saddle. She turned just in time to hear her dad call, "And don't touch _anything_!" just before they took off toward the village.

* * *

In their entire lives, for as long as they could remember, the Haddock twins had never seen the village in such disarray, panic and chaos. However, they'd also never seen their father take charge over a panicked crowd before, and they were honestly impressed with his calm demeanor. Both Gobber and their mother stood on either side of him as he tried to calm the crowd, but both seemed to get more frustrated or annoyed over time. Hiccup, however, didn't waver.

Finn couldn't see himself being chief over this madness, nor could he see himself doing it so calmly. Being the chief's son, he knew the little things that his father did that showed his nervousness or frustration, usually shoving his hands through his hair or snarky, sarcastic comebacks became relentless. But here and now, all Finn saw was was a patient, firm hand that had some sort of grip over the situation.

How did he do it?

A shoulder bumped into Finn's and he looked startled at Benen, whose blue eyes shown with concern. Finn sighed heavily, casting a short glance at his sister beside him, who was twisting a lock of hair around her finger so tight that her finger turned purple.

"Why are people panicking?" Finn finally asked in a low voice.

Benen sighed. "Another dozen people went to the Great Hall since the quarantine was issued. The sickness is spreading like wildfire…"

"Do they know what it is yet?" Adrianna asked quietly. Finn had to strain to hear her for the din was so loud in the square.

Benen opened his mouth to reply before a high, sharp whistle interrupted him. The crowds gradually silenced and Finn realized it was his father who had whistled. Since when could he whistle that loud?

The pressure must have been getting to him because when Hiccup spoke, he sounded the slightest bit exasperated. "As I stated before, we're working hard to find a cure to the sickness and we're trying to contain those who are infected as best we can. Anyone with healing skills that would like to assist Mara in the Hall would be greatly appreciated, though it is not required. Please keep your children inside at all times. Anyone with amputations or lingering health problems should also stay inside, as the risk for sickness could be higher."

One man shouted from the crowd, "What about you, chief? You're an amputee!"

The crowd tittered and Finn watched his father's face carefully. Hiccup shook his head, "I'm the one exception simply because I need to help find a cure. It's as simple as that."

"What if _you_ get sick?" another man cried out. "We can't afford to lose you-"

A few people sneered angrily at him as one replied, "As if we can _afford_ to lose anyone! Who's to say one man is more important than another!"

"He's the chief! Young Finn is not ready to take his place! Don't you understand the implications of a village without a proper leader?" Finn felt a flare of anger in his chest as a few eyes, particularly those of his friends, shot toward him, but he stifled it.

"You have little faith! He's the grandson of Stoick the Vast, he'd be a fine chief!"

"He's not even fifteen!"

"What if _he_ gets sick then, eh? What if all the Haddocks die? Then what?"

"Yes, because the _Haddock_ family is the only important family on the island now, is it?"

"None of them are even sick while our friends and family are up there sick, maybe even dying! And you're talking about a new chief like-"

"ENOUGH!" Hiccup finally bellowed, and everyone visibly shook. Even Benen flinched from beside the twins. Everyone stared up at him with wide eyes, wondering with a little fear what he'd say. Finn swallowed thick and could tell that his dad was probably resisting the urge to yank on his hair.

Hiccup exhaled slowly, his eyes still dark as they slowly traveled around the square. By the time he'd looked at every area he could see, one could hear a pin drop. Finn was suddenly hit with awe at just how great of a chief his father was.

"We are here," Hiccup resumed quietly, his voice carrying like the wind. "For information purposes only. Discussing the future line of the Haddock heritage is wasting precious time, energy and quite frankly, my patience. As you well know, if anything were to happen to me, Astrid, not Finn, would take over as chief until my son comes of age." Finn saw many throats bob at those words and he seriously wanted to glean as much information from his father on becoming a great chief right then and there. "But," Hiccup added calmly. "Seeing as many of you seem to be worried about the future, I will say right here, right now, that I have complete faith in my son as my successor." Hiccup's green eyes locked on his son instantly and he smiled a little, while Finn seemed to stare up at him in shock and awe. "You can count on it."

Who was this man and what had he done with his father? Like… this was his _dad_ right? Aw heck, this was probably just some weird, freakish dream. His parents didn't beam at him from the head platform in the Town Square in front of the entire village and all them didn't turn to look at him, some with pride and some with nods of approval. His friends didn't gape at him in surprise as if they'd missed something.

But a warm, hard squeeze to his shoulder brought him back to reality and he turned to see Benen's wide, happy smile. Finn couldn't help the large grin that spread across his face. For the first time, he suddenly felt… _really_ glad to have the family he had. Even his sister was giving him a small, shy smile beside him.

"Anyway," Hiccup spoke and the spell broke. The villagers seemed to break out of a trance and the sounds of muffled feet on the dirt and clothing brushing together filled the air. "Like I said, we're working hard to get answers. If you run a fever, find white spots on your tongue, or generally feel like crap, come to the Great Hall. Everyone do your best to stay calm… and happy." Finn cocked an eyebrow at his father's sudden grin. "One winter when I became sick with a cold, my mother said to me these words: 'a smile keeps the healer away.' You want to know my secret to staying healthy? I'm _always_ happy."

Astrid, the twins, Gobber, and even Benen scoffed at that statement, to which the crowd tittered with laughter. Hiccup pointed out at the crowd with a triumphant: "HA! See? We're off to a great start already!" People chuckled and Finn seriously wondered how he'd never noticed what an amazing dad he had. Hiccup finally sighed and waved a hand to dismiss them. "All right enough jokes, get outta here. But seriously, stay calm and keep your eyes peeled for symptoms in your families!"

The trio watched people retreat to their homes, mothers holding their children's hands firmly. Finn continued to stare at his dad from across the square as people spoke to him in passing.

"He is so cool," Finn remarked quietly. Benen smiled at the boy fondly.

Adrianna scoffed. "You're just _now_ figuring this out? Gee, you really are a momma's boy."

Finn shrugged indifferently, not even pretending to care. So he loved his mother more than other guys did; so what? Choosing to remain silent, Finn walked to the platform with an unexpected extra bounce in his step. It was weird, but for the first time ever he felt like he was walking up to his father like he was someone new… someone different. Maybe he was starting to see his father as the famous man of whom everyone else in the archipelago knew and warned?

Hiccup saw him coming and smiled wide, shaking Horst's hand as he left. Maybe he was seeing his father as someone from whom he could learn? His dad patted his shoulder and said something along the lines of "crazy crowds," but the words didn't really register.

"Did you really mean that? What you said?" Finn asked, bold in a way he'd never felt before. It wasn't a loose sort of pride that proved your worth to others; this was… different.

Hiccup smiled and he rested his hands on his son's shoulders. "Every word." Hiccup pointed at Finn's chest and he quietly added, "And don't you _ever_ forget it."

No, this was a different sort of pride. This was a burning warmth in his chest from the clear pride his father displayed of _him_. For his dad to say something that… that _huge_ in front of the entire village was monumental. That his dad trusted him so much to not only stick up for him in front of everyone, both his peers _and_ elders, but also _uplift_ him further than he actually thought himself worthy of, at the deepest roots of himself?

For the first time in his life, Finn felt both humbled and at a loss for words. Wrapping his arms around Hiccup's chest, he pulled him into a tight hug that Stoick the Vast would nod in approval of, judging by how his dad gasped in shock.

Finn buried his face in his father's neck and whispered, "Thank you. For everything."

Hiccup's arms enclosed around him and suddenly he felt like a little kid again after scraping his knee on the ground. "For you, Finn, anything."

The hug lasted a few more seconds until Finn seemed to realize what was really happening, and he pulled away. He didn't feel weird or guilty, but the rosy cheeks of his mother made him blush. "Mom, please tell me you're not-AH!" Astrid yanked him into a tight hug and his father laughed, wrapping an arm around a silent Adrianna. "Crying… gods mom, you're getting my shirt all wet."

"Oh be quiet, you cheeky little ginger." Astrid snarked as she pulled back. She sniffed and rubbed her face along Hiccup's shoulder, completely ignoring his "urk!" of surprise and disgusted expression.

All in all, this moment was very sweet and was giving those who were still around and watching the Haddock family a lot of warm fuzzies. However, a blue Terrible Terror interrupted the sweetness by dive bombing the hugging Haddocks and attempting to repeatedly headbutt Hiccup.

"Gah!" Hiccup cried. "What are you-"

The Terror squawked and began to fly around the chief's head in tight circles. She seemed quite proud of herself for getting his attention but simply wouldn't slow down even for a second. After flying around his head like an obnoxious bee (skillfully avoiding those attempting to get her off of him) for nearly a minute, Hiccup finally spotted a tiny piece of paper tied to her leg.

"You're kidding me." he mumbled as he attempted to reach for the paper without being scratched by the Terror's talons. "Who would send a Terror this wild to deliver a message?"

Adrianna was the one who finally calmed the dragon down just enough to allow Hiccup to take the message. An untidy scrawl met his eyes and he sighed with exasperation.

"Camicazi the Crazy. I should have known." he said with a smirk as he unrolled the message.

_Hiccup,_

_I hope it wasn't you who infected half my tribe with this nasty disease but if I find out that it was, I am ripping up our treaty and sending the entire Bog Burglar battalion to wage war on Berk and all its allies. You can't get rid of us that easily!_

_However if, as I suspect, it wasn't you and it's one gigantic coincidence, I thought you should know that just about everyone here is getting sick and the disease may have spread while you were here and thus, you Berkians may be infected as well._

_Our healer has seen this outbreak before and she has a cure that works every time. That all being said, since we're fairly new allies and I'm not sure I trust you, I first want you to do something for us: the cure requires a special kind of eel that can be found on Eel Island. We have run out of this eel so I want you to bring us three of them (and you might want to get some for your tribe as well) and we will trade you the ingredients for the cure in return. The eel is pink and red striped and is about a foot and a half long._

_DO NOT SEND SOMEONE IN YOUR PLACE! COME IN PERSON!_

_Send Horrorcow back with your response._

_Camicazi_

Hiccup looked at the tiny dragon zooming around his head and raised an eyebrow. She did seem to fit the Bog Burglars' spirit, he'd give her that. Though attempting to attach a message to her foot would probably prove to be next to impossible.

"There's a cure." he said as he handed the note to Astrid. "All I have to do is go to their island with a few eels."

"You're leaving?" Finn's eyes widened as he read the note.

"I have to, buddy." Hiccup patted his son on the head. "It'll be fine. This way I can't get infected." Finn sighed deeply as his father turned to his mother. "That means you're in charge, Astrid. Write Camicazi a response and then meet me in our old spot." he kissed her on the cheek. "I have to pack up."

As Hiccup walked off, completely ignoring his family's protests, Benen rushed to catch up with him. For a man with one leg, the Hooligan chief could certainly walk fast when he had reason to hurry.

"Hiccup, if I may, I think you should take someone along with you." Benen said as he finally walked in step with his chief (who had to slow down a bit to accommodate him).

"Finn needs to stay here. If he's going to be the next chief, he needs to practice his leadership skills." Hiccup waved a hand. "I'll be fine."

"I wasn't talking about Finn." Benen shook his head.

"Well Astrid can't leave. She's acting chief." Hiccup reminded him.

"I wasn't talking about Astrid either." Benen began to sound slightly exasperated with his friend. "Have you thought about how this outbreak is probably going to affect Anna?"

Hiccup suddenly stopped and turned to look at Benen. "You want me to take Addie? But could be a dangerous mission."

"Which is why you shouldn't go alone." Benen glanced over at Adrianna, who was talking to Astrid about something. "If you want her to recover from her ordeal, you need to start trusting her."

"I do trust her!" Hiccup responded far too quickly. "But she's only thirteen."

"As is your son. Who you just told the village you had faith in as your successor." Benen fixed the chief with a rather firm gaze. "You don't have to take my advice. But..." he paused for a moment, thinking hard about how to phrase what he had to say next. "Anna has been through quite a lot. And I've seen outbreaks claim lives by the hundreds on more than one occasion. If you want her to recover, do you think it's a good idea for her to witness that happening to her village?"

Hiccup blanched slightly at this. "Is that what you think is going to happen?"

Benen shrugged sadly. "I cannot be sure. But I don't think we should take that risk. At the very least, this could be protecting her from getting the disease herself."

Hiccup looked over at his daughter, who was talking to Erick. Even from across the village square, he could see the worry written all over her face as she spoke to her best friend, who had apparently been sent by his family to find out what had been said in the meeting. He thought back to all the times he'd held her when she'd cried over the death of someone she barely knew. His little girl was the kindest, sweetest, most compassionate person he knew... and if he could protect her from seeing people she knew dying of this disease, he had to do it. That was his job. His resolve hardened, he immediately hastened back to where she was standing.

"Addie," he said the moment he was within earshot, "do you want to come with me?"

"To get the eels?" Adrianna asked in surprise.

"To get the cure. I need someone to help me. It might be more than just eels that we need to find." Hiccup held out a hand. "So do you want to come with me?"

Adrianna looked at Erick, who patted her on the back. "Go. I'll be here when you get back."

The girl turned back to her father. "Okay." she said as she took his hand.

Hiccup smiled at her for a moment before turning to Astrid, Finn, Benen, and Erick. "Meet us at our old spot in half an hour, okay? We're going to have to get ready to go."

As Astrid, Finn, and Erick nodded and Hiccup made his way to the Haddock house with his hand clasped firmly around Adrianna's, no one noticed Benen beaming at them all. With Astrid and Finn in charge of the village and with Hiccup and Adrianna getting the cure, the elderly man was certain that Berk couldn't be in better, more capable hands.


	7. Eel Island

Adrianna hadn't gone traveling in a very long time. She'd been off Berk a few times ever since getting her dragon but she and Lily weren't very adventurous. She had, at one time, found a small island with Erick in Berk's territory and the two of them liked to have picnics there on occasion but this was the farthest she'd ventured since her trip to Dragon Island three and a half years ago.

It was for this reason that she was having a bit of trouble deciding what to pack for her trip. After throwing in a few clean outfits and her winter gear, she felt like there should be more. But what was she supposed to bring on a trip with an undetermined length?

Lily stuck her head into Adrianna's room as the girl pondered what to do next. She walked in and sniffed her human's bag before placing her large head on the girl's small lap. Adrianna smiled and began to stroke it.

"Up for a change of scenery?" she whispered to her dragon. "You always did like exploring." Lily licked her girl's hand in response. Adrianna sighed deeply. "I really don't want anyone to die, Lily."

As her dragon cooed and licked the girl's hand, Hiccup stuck his head into his daughter's room. "About ready?"

"I think so." Adrianna replied, fastening her bag. "Are you?"

"Just need to get some food and water for the trip and then we'll be good to go." said Hiccup.

Adrianna pounded down the stairs with her heavy backpack slung over her shoulder. She watched as her father threw various food items into a small satchel before fastening it and tying it to Toothless.

"Maybe you should take some tea." the girl spoke up. "Just in case one of us gets sick."

"I'm not sure how much good tea'll do." Hiccup said as he tied a few more bags to his dragon.

"Well, the first symptoms are related to the throat and tea can soothe that." Adrianna grabbed a few boxes of herbs from a shelf. "Just humor me, dad."

Hiccup eyed the herbs for a moment before smiling. "I knew bringing you was a good idea."

"Well we haven't left yet. I'm sure I'll mess something up soon." Adrianna's cheeks reddened at the compliment as she handed the herbs to her father.

"No you won't." Hiccup shrugged off her comment. "What do you think, is this too much for Toothless to carry? He'll pout but he's stronger than he likes to admit."

"I think you're good." Adrianna tied a few things to Lily. "I guess we should go say goodbye."

Hiccup nodded. "Right again."

As the father and daughter walked out of the house side by side, the dragons looked at each other. Lily made a funny sort of growl low in her throat. Toothless returned it. They seemed to share a silent agreement that they both had a very bad feeling about this. And dragons are rarely wrong.

* * *

To say that Astrid had conflicted feelings would be a massive understatement. As she touched down on the cliff on which she and Hiccup had spent so much time, she hardly noticed Finn, Benen, and Erick dismounting and their dragons growling at each other in a friendly sort of way. Signa hopped between them and tried to make a game of grooming Thornado. Finn's dragon was not amused and gave her a warning snarl. This ended Signa's little game.

The Haddock matriarch looked out over the frozen ocean that stretched out as far as the eye could see and sighed deeply. She didn't like sending her husband and daughter on a journey like that. They were certainly smart and resourceful enough to be okay but something was nagging her about the whole thing. Maybe it was just nerves. She was going to have to step up and be chief with Hiccup gone.

Similarly, Finn was also feeling apprehensive about the whole thing. As the son of the chief, he'd always felt like people watched him more closely than his peers but this was a chance to make a difference. With both Hiccup and Adrianna gone, he was the face of the future. His actions now had to make his father proud, especially after all he had said half an hour ago. Hiccup had confidence in him. But did he have confidence in himself? Finn shook his head. This was too much to think about.

It was completely silent for a few minutes before Astrid, Benen, Erick, and Finn could see Toothless and Lily flying into view. The moment the dragons touched down and Hiccup and Adrianna dismounted, Astrid rushed forward and hugged her husband tightly.

"Hey," he said in a gentle voice, "it's going to be okay."

"You're way too optimistic for your own good sometimes." Astrid playfully smacked him on the chest. "You have no idea what's going to happen. What if you or Adri gets sick?"

"Since when are you the worrier in this family?" Hiccup kissed her forehead. "What if you or Finn get sick? We could talk ifs all day, Astrid, but we'd waste a lot of precious time."

Astrid swallowed thickly, eyes on her wedding ring. "Time..."

Hiccup gripped her shoulders and fixed a soft gaze on her. "Astrid, we're Haddocks. We're not going down that easily."

Astrid leaned forward and rested her forehead on his. "Not everyone has our resilience."

"I know." Hiccup's eyes quickly flitted to Benen and he suddenly felt like telling her about the elderly man's condition... but one look into his wife's worried eyes caused him to change his mind. "But we always get through the craziness life throws at us. We can get through this."

"What about everyone else? All those people-"

"We're the leading family of Berk. We'll uphold them as best we can." Hiccup kissed her gently but firmly. When they broke apart, he tenderly stroked her bangs and tucked them away from her sapphire eyes. "And we _will_ be back. I promise." Astrid smiled and turned to Adrianna. Meanwhile, Hiccup approached his son. "I still mean what I said back there. You're young and you have a lot to learn but I know that you will be a great leader, Finn."

Finn awkwardly scratched the back of his head. "Thanks, Dad."

"And the first thing you need to know," Hiccup said with a smile, "is don't slouch. No one looks up to a sloucher." he grasped the boy's shoulders and thrust them back. Finn straightened up, his eyes widening with surprise. "Now you look like a future chief. Even if you're not sure what to do or what to say, be confident in yourself."

"I will, Dad." Finn suddenly arranged his facial features in such a way that Stoick the Vast suddenly flashed before Hiccup's eyes.

"Help your mother whenever you can." Hiccup patted his son on the shoulder. "I have full confidence in you. No pressure."

"Thanks for that, Dad. The entire Haddock lineage depends on me. I think there's a lot of pressure." Finn's stance still exuded confidence but his eyes flashed with anxiety.

"Well, you are only thirteen." Hiccup playfully ruffled the boy's hair. "Don't grow up _too_ fast."

"I'm really liking these mixed messages." Finn rolled his eyes. "Be a confident future chief and make me proud but also act your age and don't feel pressured." he said in a nasally voice that was clearly meant to sound like his father's.

Hiccup laughed. "Okay, you're right. But seriously, Finn, your mother is in charge. Do what she says. Help her in any way you can. That's all you have to do to make me proud, buddy."

"Oh." Finn smiled. "That I can handle."

Hiccup turned to Benen to bid him farewell. At the same time, Adrianna had just said her goodbyes to her mother and now faced Erick, who looked thoroughly miserable.

"I _really_ don't want you to go." Erick admitted in a low voice that only she could hear. "I know you have to and I think you should... but I wish you could stay."

"I know." Adrianna reached out and took both of his hands in hers. He gripped them tightly. "I wish I could be there for you. But there are so many people who can stay and help the sick and my dad needs me."

"I just..." Erick sighed shakily. "I'm scared to death. My dad's always been there... I'm not ready for him to... to..."

"Shh." Adrianna lifted a finger and placed it on his lips. "That's not going to happen."

"You don't know everything, Annie." Erick said in a slightly muffled voice thanks to her pointer finger pressed against his lips. She quickly removed it. "Just come back as soon as you can. Every second counts."

"Of course I will." Adrianna squeezed the hand she was still holding.

Before Erick could say anything else, she lifted herself onto her tiptoes and nuzzled his cheek with hers. Erick's heart raced rather loudly as she paused for a moment before pressing her lips against his skin. His cheek seemed to burn when she returned to her normal height and fixed her eyes back on his own.

"I'll miss you, Blondie." she said with a spark of mischief growing within those beautiful green eyes.

She turned to Finn, who was watching Hiccup bade Benen farewell. He glanced over at her and raised an eyebrow as she walked over and leaned up onto her tip toes. Realizing what she was about to do, Finn jerked in a flailing motion with a yelp of disgust. "No- NO, DON'T EVEN-"

Adrianna pressed a big kiss on his cheek, to which everyone laughed and Finn nearly shoved her away. Hiccup effortlessly caught his daughter by the elbows as she stumbled and lifted her back to her feet. Finn aggressively wiped his cheek with his sleeve as he grumbled incoherently.

"You disgust me." Finn growled irritably.

"I can live with that." Adrianna replied with a shrug before turning to hug Benen.

Toothless made an annoyed sort of gurgle and nudged Hiccup in the middle of his back. "Yeah, yeah," Hiccup turned to his dragon and scratched the scaly chin. "We're leaving soon, bud."

The Night Fury did something that could be interpreted as raising his eyebrow skeptically. Hiccup turned back to his wife and immediately took her in his arms, kissing her so passionately she nearly melted. Finn felt the desire to express his disgust at this affection but he held back.

When Hiccup and Astrid broke apart, Hiccup immediately mounted his dragon and gestured to Adrianna to do the same. The girl immediately hastened over to her dragon and followed suit.

"We'll be back as soon as we can. Be as helpful as you can and see if you can find remedies to treat this sickness before Addie and I get back. But don't overexert yourself or you'll get sick too." Hiccup told them as Toothless stretched out his gigantic wings.

"I'll miss you!" Adrianna called as Lily copied the behavior of the Night Fury.

The dragons only needed to flap their wings twice to elevate half of the Haddock family far above the cliff. They turned and headed into the misty horizon, flying above the solid ocean in the frigid cold. Hiccup and Adrianna bundled up as best they could but both shivered at the first blast of freezing air on their faces. Astrid, Finn, Benen, and Erick stood in the snow and watched them fly away until they were completely out of sight.

* * *

"So where exactly _is_ Eel Island?" Adrianna called as she and Hiccup continued to fly over the frozen ocean.

"Just a few more minutes and you'll be able to see it." Hiccup replied. "It's not far but it's in the opposite direction of the Bogs so that'll be an even longer flight."

Adrianna wrapped her furs closer to her body and shivered. She didn't like flying in such frigid weather one bit. "Won't the water be frozen over?"

"I thought of that." Hiccup gestured to one of the bags attached to Toothless. "You're about to get your first ice fishing lesson."

Adrianna paused for a moment. "Couldn't the dragons just melt the ice?"

Hiccup made a face as he considered this possibility. "Well... yes... I guess that would be a bit easier..." he coughed sheepishly. "But if we ever _do_ need fish from deeper water, you're going to have to know how to ice fish."

"Point taken." Adrianna nodded. "I think I see it. Is that it?" she pointed to a distant shore to which they rapidly approached.

"Ahh yes, that's the one." Hiccup leaned forward. "Dragons tend to stay away so it should be deserted. But listen, this is important," he fixed his eyes on his daughter and waited for her to look back at him, "do not, under any circumstances, allow either of our dragons to eat an eel."

"I wasn't going to." Adrianna shrugged. "You always told me it was dangerous."

"It is. Don't do it." Hiccup held up a bag, the outsides of which he coated in leather. "Put the eels in this and then wash your hands. It's best not to expose them at all."

"Isn't that a bit paranoid?" Adrianna raised an eyebrow.

"It's being safe, Addie." Hiccup said in a rather firm voice but a tiny smile crossed his face for just a second. "I've only been here once about twenty years ago and it wasn't a pleasant experience. I just wish I could remember more about it."

"It's okay, Dad. You've been through plenty of perilous situations and it's the middle of winter. I mean, it's not like we're going to run into any dragons." Adrianna said as she began to descend upon the snow covered terrain below.

"Nah, you're right." Hiccup hopped off of Toothless and stumbled a bit. "Gods, I hate getting old." he said with a scowl. Suddenly he stopped and gave his daughter a very hard stare.

"What?"

Hiccup chuckled to himself. "Nothing, it's just... last time I was here, I was only sixteen. I never thought that the next time I would come here with my _daughter_..."

"Wow!" Adrianna raised her eyebrows. "You weren't much older than me."

Hiccup deflated with a frown. "Not helping, Addie."

Adrianna winked at him with a little smile before taking a good look around. "Where do you think we'll find these eels Camicazi was talking about?" she asked as she began to confidently walk in the general direction of a stream, stopping every few feet to peer at the eels through the ice.

"I'm not sure. The only ones I saw last time weren't striped, if I remember right." Hiccup stopped and put his head in his hands, his mind racing. "There was something else too. Something important."

"Well it was twenty years ago, dad." Adrianna beckoned him forward. "I'm sure it's not that important."

"You're right. I mean if it were, I'm sure I would have remembered." Hiccup sauntered forward and look through the ice. "Well I see some eels but none like the one Camicazi described. We'll just have to keep going."

They walked in silence for a few minutes. Toothless and Lily didn't stray too far from their humans. Eels made them nervous and their people were about the only comfort they had in such a scary place. Lily in particular seemed the most anxious. Every few seconds, she would nudge Adrianna with her snout and snort, as if pleading with her to leave. Adrianna gently stroked her dragon and whispered that everything was going to be all right.

_CRUNCH!_

Hiccup's reflexes were as quick as ever as he immediately grabbed his daughter's arm and yanked her behind a large bolder. The dragons were startled for a moment before following them.

"What?" Adrianna hurriedly whispered as the sounds grew louder.

"Typhoomerangs." Hiccup hissed to her. "I forgot about the Typhoomerangs. This is where they're from."

"Really, Dad?" Adrianna muttered irritably. "Gigantic, eel eating dragons weren't worth remembering?"

"Twenty years, Addie!" Hiccup peered over the rock and spotted one of the beasts prowling around inches from where they had been standing just seconds ago. "You forget plenty of things in twenty years, especially when you have three people, four dragons, and an entire tribe to take care of."

"Yes, but wouldn't this have been information worth including in the Dragon Book?" she continued. "I thought Poppy would be more thorough."

"That old Dragon Book was probably missing a page or two, now be quiet." Hiccup mumbled.

They heard the crunching sounds and loud sniffling noises as the Typhoomerang slowly approached the boulder. Adrianna's heart began to race. She felt Hiccup place an arm over her as if that alone would shield her from a dragon big enough for their own dragons to ride. Lily and Toothless slowly inched forward to try to protect their humans. For several tense seconds, they stood there as the Typhoomerang approached.

"Okay, Addie." Hiccup whispered in such a quiet voice, she almost couldn't hear him. "If it attacks, get on Lily and go. I'll hold it off."

Suddenly, the Typhoomerang's giant head became visible over the boulder. Adrianna shrank down, feeling tiny in the presence of such a gigantic creature. Her heart was thumping in her ears and she was only barely aware of her father adjusting his body so that he was shielding her and Lily putting her wings around her. The Haddock girl had only seen a dragon that large once before but that was a water dragon. This one could probably torch them within seconds.

The massive head lowered over the two humans and dragons, sniffing them almost cautiously. Even Hiccup was beginning to feel a prickle of fear. If the Typhoomerang declared them enemies and tried to attack, it would be a miracle for his daughter to survive the encounter. But if he had to die to make sure that she did, he was willing. He could feel her small fingers gripping his right arm, could feel her breath on the back of his neck. As the Typhoomerang inched closer, he prayed that it wouldn't attack. The whole village depended on them. Heck, the Bog Burglars depended on them too. They couldn't fail.

Suddenly, the dragon reared back with a loud barking sort of noise. They all jerked in alarm but had no time to react before it lowered its head again... and licked Hiccup across the face. Toothless growled almost possessively and glowered at the Typhoomerang. Adrianna was instantly bewildered, as was Lily.

"Torch?" Hiccup let out a laugh and straightened up, gently patting the dragon's snout. "My gods, how long has it been? I can't believe you remember me!"

"Wha... wha..." Adrianna sputtered; her voice hadn't quite returned yet.

"Right, yes!" Hiccup seemed almost giddy with excitement. "Torch, this is my daughter." he enthusiastically gestured to her.

Torch immediately lowered his head to inspect Adrianna further. She took a few steps back.

"It's okay, Addie. He won't hurt you." Hiccup smiled proudly when the dragon looked between the two of them. "That's right, big guy. She's mine."

Torch seemed to understand this and nuzzled Adrianna's hand the moment she lifted it. Toothless growled at his fellow dragon in a way the girl had never heard him growl before.

"What's up with him?" she asked, raising an eyebrow at her father's dragon.

Hiccup rolled his eyes. "Probably jealous." he walked over and patted his dragon on the head. "Come on, bud, let it go."

Toothless looked up at his human and gurgled before resigning himself to pouting quietly. Lily, on the other hand, was a lot more open to trusting this new dragon. She inched forward and sat next to her human, staring into the face of the magnificent creature before her.

"All right, Torch." Hiccup strode forward and stood next to his daughter. "We're looking for a special kind of eel. Do you think you can help us out?"

Torch stared at his old friend for a few seconds before making a funny sort of growl and walking away. Just as Hiccup and Adrianna were beginning to think that the dragon had gotten bored with them, he turned his head and jerked it forward a bit.

"He wants us to follow him." Hiccup said, taking his daughter by the hand and walking behind the Typhoomerang.

Toothless made a noise in the back of his throat but decided to follow his human anyway. Lily seemed to have taken a liking to Torch. She hopped around excitedly, almost like she was a hatchling again, before going back and making sure Adrianna was still okay. They didn't walk very far before they got to a thick part of the woods. Hiccup and Adrianna had to duck under the snow-covered branches and Torch practically had to crawl so that he would fit. It was very dark and if it weren't for the flames both Torch and Lily contained in their mouths, it would have been impossible to see. After several more minutes, the trees thinned slightly and they found themselves in a small clearing with a stream going through it. It took both Hiccup and Adrianna a few seconds to realize that it was a stream at all. Eels of all kinds swam in large groups. So many eels passed through the stream that it wasn't even frozen over.

"Wow." Hiccup said, crouching down next to it. "That's just... wow."

"It's beautiful." Adrianna breathed. "And we won't have any trouble getting the eels we need." she turned to the Typhoomerang, who looked rather pleased with himself. "Thank you, Torch."

Torch made a low rumbling sound in response. Hiccup got out the leather satchel and within seconds, it was squirming with six pink and red striped eels, three for the Bog Burglars and three for the Hooligans. It had been refreshingly easy.

"I really wish we could stay, big guy." Hiccup stood up and stroked the Typhoomerang affectionately. "But we have to get these eels to the Bogs and as it is, we're going to get there late at night."

Nyssa, Adrianna's Terrible Terror who had been snoozing in an empty satchel attached to Lily, emerged and yawned widely. She then flew over and perched on the girl's head.

"Perfect timing." Adrianna said, lifting the reptile off of her head. "We should probably send a message back to Berk saying we have the eels and are heading to the Bogs."

"Right, yes. Good thinking." Hiccup handed her a slip of parchment and a bit of charcoal.

Adrianna hurriedly scribbled down her message to her mother and tied it to Nyssa's leg. She fed her dragon a bit of dragon nip before releasing her into the air and out of sight.

"We should probably get going." Adrianna told her father once Nyssa had disappeared.

"Yes. But feel free to come visit us." Hiccup gave Torch a last pat before mounting a disgruntled looking Toothless.

"Ready to meet Camicazi?" Hiccup asked his daughter, a tiny mischievous sparkle in his eyes.

"Absolutely. I want to see the kind of person Finn would practically drool over." Adrianna replied with a grin.

"Nah, he's not that bad. Though he needs to work on his game for sure." Hiccup shook his head with amusement before waving to Torch and flying through a clearing in the trees over Eel Island.

As the island finally dissolved from view, Hiccup began to wonder about what was going on at home. Was everyone okay? How was Astrid holding up? Was Finn being helpful? The questions kept him alert but very frustrated as he flew over the frozen ocean. When he saw Berk's shore to his left, he was tempted to fly over and check in on everyone but he resisted the urge. They were going to have to take care of the village without him.


	8. Legacy

Adrianna had never been on a longer flight in her life. At first she enjoyed watching the endless expanse of icy water below her and the little spits of land that came into view. She would try to find shapes in the tiny islands as they zipped by and this activity kept her entertained for a short while. But, inevitably, boredom set in and she slumped on her dragon as the sun set. She was asleep within minutes.

Darkness enveloped the duo as they flew. Hiccup was feeling quite apprehensive about returning to the island of the Bog Burglars. True, he and Camicazi had gotten along pretty well last time they'd seen each other (which, as he kept reminding himself, was the day before yesterday) but they were such new allies and this seemed to come out of nowhere. Life could sometimes throw misfortune at them at the worst of times.

Finally, the lights of the Bog Burglars' village came into view. Hiccup leaned over and shook Adrianna away. It was definitely a good idea he'd thought to do that before they touched down. Because within seconds of Adrianna's awakening, dozens of flaming arrows flew through the air and came uncomfortably close to the dragon riders. Toothless and Lily barely avoided them and Hiccup immediately whipped out his shield. Adrianna grabbed hers too and blocked the incoming arrows from piercing her skin.

"CAMICAZI!" Hiccup bellowed as loudly as he could.

"YOU MAY HAVE WEAKENED US THIS TIME BUT YOU CAN'T KEEP A BOG BURGLAR DOWN!" came Camicazi's loud voice from the shore.

"I'M NOT ATTACKING!" Hiccup shouted. "IT'S HICCUP! I BROUGHT YOUR EELS!"

The arrows immediately ceased. Hiccup took this as a good sign that Camicazi had heard him and was going to give him a chance to explain himself.

Unfortunately, he was only half right. The moment he and Adrianna landed, Camicazi charged at him.

"You better not have brought in your battalion to attack us while we're sick!" she snarled.

"If I had, wouldn't you see it coming? You saw us." Hiccup rolled his eyes.

Camicazi looked up as if expecting to see a swarm of dragons approaching the island. When she was satisfied that the sky was clear, she turned back to Hiccup.

"Well then let me have our eels." she held out a hand. "Eels for the cure, as promised."

Hiccup reached into his bag and pulled out three of the slimy, smelly aquatic creatures. He placed them in the Bog Burglar chief's hand.

"Oh yes, these will do quite nicely." she said cheerfully. "You did a pretty good job. For a man, of course."

"Well it wasn't _all_ me." Hiccup jerked his head toward Adrianna, who had been watching this exchange with a slightly open mouth.

"Ooh, a _girl_ , I didn't think you were going to bring one of those what with your all male fleet last time." Camicazi came uncomfortably close to inspect the Haddock girl. "Oh, she must be your daughter. Yes, she has to be because she looks _exactly_ like you except for the hair. And the nose, thankfully. You have a really big nose."

"Gee thanks." Hiccup mumbled. "Yes, this is Adrianna."

"I can see why you said she takes after you. She's every bit as shy." the Bog Burglar chief held out a hand. "Camicazi the Crazy, chief of the Bog Burglars. It's a shame we didn't meet under better circumstances but I'm glad we met anyway!"

Adrianna shook the surprisingly callused hand. "Uhh... yeah, me too."

"And as polite as you too. Doesn't look a thing like her brother though." Camicazi helped Adrianna off her dragon and looked down at her for a few seconds. "Smaller too. It's better to be small. You're much more stealthy that way."

Hiccup was taken rather aback by the idea that any of the Bog Burglars even knew what the word stealthy meant in the first place. They were so very loud and raucous that any enemies would hear them coming from a mile away.

"So I have to get you the cure now, right. Actually, we've been using so many ingredients that we're running out and a chief protects her own, you know? But I think we can spare a few. You'll have to find the rest yourselves but the healer made you some really detailed instructions so you shouldn't have too difficult a time finding them." Camicazi beckoned for them to follow her. "And you two should take it as well because you don't want to be getting sick on your quest."

Both Hiccup and Adrianna were surprised that Camicazi had thought of this. Perhaps there was more to her than the crazy warrior on the outside.

Once they arrived at their destination, the healer immediately grabbed their jaws and inspected their mouths. She tutted at Hiccup as she accepted the eels and added them to the mixture she was constantly stirring.

"He's got it. Early signs anyway. If he takes the cure now, he probably won't even feel the effects." she said in a very businesslike tone as she scooped a thick spoonful of something that looked and smelled disgusting. "Open wide!" she added before shoving the spoon into Hiccup's mouth.

Hiccup choked and swallowed it as fast as he could. Still shuddering, he felt like apologizing to Adrianna when the healer did the same to her. The girl nearly vomited right there but she forced it down and managed to keep it that way.

"Here's all you need." the healer said after the two Hooligans finally composed themselves. She shoved a few containers of ingredients and a bit of parchment into Hiccup's hand. "I was as detailed as I could."

"Thank you." Hiccup sighed. "I'd leave now but we've been out all day. It's probably best that we turn in for the night."

"That you should." Camicazi agreed. "You can stay in the same place as before."

"Okay." Hiccup nodded. "I really appreciate all you're doing for us."

"Well this means I'm allowed to call upon you for a favor someday. Not that I'll need one, of course. But if I ever did." Camicazi punched Hiccup's shoulder. "Now off to bed!"

As Hiccup and Adrianna walked to the house side by side, the girl tugged the parchment out of her father's hand and read it aloud.

"We're going to need a long, silver fish. Says here they're easiest to find on Outcast Island." she said clearly. "And there are some berries that can be found anywhere but... oh."

"Oh... what?" Hiccup asked, raising an eyebrow at her.

"But they're all over an island called... Maero."

Hiccup's stomach clenched at the word. "We'll just have to go then." he said through gritted teeth. "Get this over with."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes." Hiccup sighed deeply and put a hand to his head. "Go on."

"A few more things we can pick up on the way back because they're all on Healer's Island. And..." her eyes widened. "And... well that's it. Nothing else." she said very quickly.

Hiccup was too tired to find this behavior alarming so he continued to walk silently. Adrianna's eyes were fixed on the final, thankfully optional, ingredient. One powerful enough to heal anyone at any stage but almost impossible to find. She felt a prickle of fear at the words in front of her. The only time she had seen it used... _no_. She wasn't going to think about that. Besides, it was optional anyway.

"Don't think about it." she whispered to herself. "Just don't."

And so, as she rolled up the paper and put it in her satchel, she pushed the thought from her mind.

* * *

Finn had always been told two things: he had his grandfather's strength and build. Never before had he found these things to be so necessary, important, and convenient.

Lifting boxes full of medicine and things for Mara to the Great Hall, carrying barrels of water and strong mead for the sick, building stretchers and fixing carts with Gobber to then lift people and carry them up the Great Hall stairs to Mara, and much, much more work still had yet to be done. He was ever thankful for his endurance and proclivity for sweat-inducing hard work.

Not two hours after his father and sister had left Berk, the Great Hall had begun to fill with the sick. Mara finally cracked and instructed anyone not yet infected to tie a cloth over their mouth and nose, especially Astrid and Finn. She didn't want either falling ill, but due to the stubbornness of both Haddocks (and the boy following in his mother's particularly stubborn footsteps), they rarely wore the cloths.

It was late evening when Finn was helping Gobber, Spitelout and a few other men carry an elderly woman on a stretcher into the Hall. Mara noticed from the back of the Hall and she met them at the first fire pit at a brisk pace and tight, yet calm expression.

"Hello Gerda," the healer greeted the woman lightly, instantly checking her throat. She nodded to the men and directed them to the back corner of the room where she was keeping the elderly. Mara gave Finn a stern glance for not wearing his cloth (again) and shooed him away.

Finn licked his lips as he weaved his way back toward the door. He surveyed the village, his people lying on beds and makeshift mats throughout the room. Young and old, it didn't matter. Coughing rang throughout the room as did the occasional cry of pain. He frowned at the sight of Taryn's parents talking quietly to her as she lay on her mat on the left side of the wall, just below the shields of the Haddock heritage.

The shield of his father and grandfather caught his eye, and Finn found himself walking toward it with slow steps. Staring up at it, he was suddenly hit with the realization that his father hadn't been much older then than he was now. And he'd done so many things by that age.

Finn knew all the stories of the young, snarky, inventive boy turned legend within a short amount of time. He had most them memorized and could probably retell them all as if he'd been there himself. But up til now, that's all they'd ever been. Stories.

And now, standing in the middle of a village crisis with so much work to do and no legend father to guide him through it, Finn couldn't help but feel a little overwhelmed. He had his mother for sure and he was confident he could keep up with her and do what she asked and needed of him. But he wasn't his father.

At the age of fifteen, Hiccup had defied all tradition and sacrificed all ties to friends and family for what was basically a Viking's worst enemy; he'd pulled out all the stops and sacrificed his own life for a boar-headed, stubborn Viking clan that basically despised him and thought him a traitor; he fought and defeated a dragon the size of an island alongside his best friend and wound up losing half his _leg_ over it.

After the Viking and dragon union, his father and Toothless had been known for their adventures and training dragons and discovering and traveling. His father was adventurous and curious and strong. Not like any other Viking on the island, but strong mentally. Finn never fully realized just how strong his father was. He didn't have the build, but he had the heart.

His father was a great, accomplished man. How did he honestly expect to _assist_ in keeping the village together when his father had done so much more?

Blinking out of his train of thought, Finn realized he was staring hard at the image of his father holding a rolled up scroll and wearing a helmet on his head. When he glanced at the image of his grandfather, he could see the similarities for sure. Those were obvious. But it was hard to really see what similarities he had with his father. He had to be like him in some ways, didn't he?

A soft hand on his shoulder made him jump, but he instantly relaxed when he saw Benen come to stand beside him. His friend smiled wide at the image before him and nodded his head toward it. "I wish I could've had the opportunity to meet him."

Finn smiled softly. "He was a great man." He paused, his eyes roving to his father's painting again. "They both are."

Benen faced with a look of concern. "Are you alright? You seem awfully fascinated with your father lately."

"I don't know…" Finn shrugged. Benen waited patiently. "I'm okay, I guess I just… keep having these sudden realizations at just how much he's done… and how great he really is. I mean… you have a father who's literally a legend; people know his name from legions away. And to you, the man who's raising you is just your dad. Sure he's cool and he's weird and quirky and can chatter off a string of pointless information like a squirrel, but heck, he's still your dad." Finn cracked a smile at Benen's laugh for the truthful comment, but he quickly continued, "I just… I always wanted to be just like my grandfather. And I still do. But the more I really realize just how _much_ my dad does… has done… It kind of makes me wonder how I'll turn out."

"You'll do wonderfully."

Finn rolled his eyes. "Please Benen, don't flatter me, my dad has done greater things in a span of a month than I have ever done in my entire life. How am I supposed to top that?"

"Who says that you're supposed to?" Benen asked quizzically.

Finn paused. "I…"

"I think," Benen began carefully. "That your father did what he did because he saw a problem that needed to be fixed. He shot down that dragon, as you well know, and try as he might, he just couldn't kill it. He saw the damage that he'd done and saw that everything he wanted in his desire to fit in with the others, it just didn't matter. It wasn't him. He'd have to find his own way of making a difference because doing things the _Viking_ way was just not working for him."

Finn nodded in agreement. "And that's when he just couldn't leave well enough alone."

"Right," Benen chuckled. "No, that little troublemaker had to keep playing with the fire. And he ended up catching the whole woods on fire."

Finn crossed his arms with a slight eye roll. "Yes, but the forest re-grew into a harvest much more plentiful than before I'd say."

Benen chuckled. "Is that such a bad thing that he is basically the founder of a better world? What's so bad about that?"

"Nothing, I just…" Finn shook his head, blowing air past his lips in frustration. "I'm not saying that I have to do something better than he did but…" He shook his head. "Everyone's expecting me to."

Benen gave a soft "hmph" in agreement. "Well, you know what I think?" Benen turned Finn to see him face to face. He smiled when he remembered the boy was a good inch or two taller than him. "I think your father has begun a great legacy, one that will last for generations. And only a son with the strength and leadership of Stoick the Vast could keep that legacy intact to pass on to a third generation."

Finn brightened. "You think so?"

"I never lie." Benen grinned and squeezed Finn's shoulder. "Don't stress yourself out. Your time too will come. And you too will do great things. But only by preparing today will you be ready for _that_ day."

Finn nodded with a wide grin. "Thanks, Benen."

"Don't thank m-"

A woman's sharp peal of pain sounded from the other side of the Hall. Benen and Finn jerked at the sound as the eyes of many searched for the woman. Finn saw Mara running across the Hall from the back toward the front and his stomach dropped when he heard Tuffnut call for her anxiously.

"Svala…" Finn broke into a run across the Hall, weaving around tables and mats. Just as he got to the vicinity of Svala's mat, she cried out with a second scream, stronger this time. Benen grabbed Finn from behind and dragged him backwards away from the scene.

"No, no, no, Finn, that's not your job. Stay back, son."

"But Benen, she's in pain, look at her!" Finn twisted, trying to get free.

"And do you know anything about this? What can you do, Finn?" Benen gently asked, struggling to hold the teenager in his arms.

Finn finally stopped struggling at his words and stood nearby as Mara and a few other women hurried around Svala, who was clutching her stomach and crying. Tuffnut held her in his lap, trying to soothe her and get answers from the healer but to no avail. Her pretty face contorted into a look of pure agony as she arched off the mat, a strong scream belting from her throat that bounced off the walls of the Great Hall.

Finn gasped at the scene, stepping backwards and nearly knocking a bench onto its side. Astrid ran into the fray a moment later and shared a few quick words with Mara. Finn saw her face go white and that's when she saw him and Benen standing there, and her eyes widened.

She stood and ran over to him, pulling him to the door. "Finn, honey, you have to go."

"What? Why-"

"Why? Because I asked you to, that's why!" Astrid snapped and Finn flinched with a pained look on his face. Astrid closed her eyes and sighed. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have snapped."

Finn glanced over her shoulder when Svala cried out again. "What's wrong with her?"

Astrid shared a long look with Benen before facing her son. "It's the baby."

Finn gasped and shook his head. He struggled with words for a minute as he watched Tuffnut trying to calm his wife down. "Will… will it be okay? Will _she_ be okay?"

Astrid swallowed thickly and shook her head. "I don't know, little man. I don't know."

Determination welled up in his chest and he stared at her hard. "What do you want me to do?"

Astrid nodded toward Benen again as she replied, "I want you to go to Benen's and get some rest. You're going to need it for tomorrow."

"No, I meant for Sv-"

"I know fully what you meant, Finn, and I want you to go with Benen." Finn frowned at her, looking so much like his father at that moment that she had to give him a small smile. Astrid stepped closer and gave him a short hug. "Childbirth is no place for a young man, whether its good or bad. You'll have a wife one day where it's your business to be present. Don't get ahead of yourself."

"Mom, it has nothing to do with that, I couldn't care less about becoming a parent at the moment."

Astrid smiled and brushed his bangs off his forehead. "Perhaps not. One day you'll understand." She nodded toward Benen and trotted back toward Svala and the party of people trying to help her. Benen grasped Finn's arm and pulled him toward the door, the young man's eyes glued to the scene.

It was only when Benen caught sight of the blood at the edge of Svala's mat that he forcefully grabbed Finn by the shirt and dragged him to the doors.

* * *

Fire crackled in the hearth. Benen's small dagger dragged down the wood he was carving with a soft "creak" noise. He made it look so easy, shaving wood off a block to create an image. He'd taken up wood carving as a little hobby after he'd been freed. It was relaxing after a long day of stress or if one was tired and just wanted to let his thoughts run wild.

Finn had hoped the quiet house, the soft sounds of the fire and Benen's wood carving would help him relax. Benen had forced him to eat some fish and a little smoked jerky from a recent hunt, but no matter what he did or how hard he tried, he could not get Svala's echoing screams or the image of the blood from her mat out of his head.

Despite his past circumstances as slave, he wasn't afraid of blood or pain. He hated them with a passion and couldn't stand it when pain was inflicted on a person. He knew he wasn't afraid of these things…

But he knew from experience that he was easily traumatized by them. Within the first few months of Benen's life on Berk, he'd accidentally cut his hand on a sharp blade. Finn didn't remember much from the incident, but all he knew is he'd stared frozen in horror at Benen's bleeding hand one moment and the next he was fussing and running all over the house for a cloth to wrap it up and water to clean it and kept asking Benen if he needed the healer.

Once he'd calmed down and the issue had been resolved, he'd suddenly realized just how ridiculous he'd acted. It was just a scratch. Sure, Benen had gotten a nice scar out of it after the stitches came out, but seriously. It could've been so much worse. It wasn't a big deal.

But he couldn't be so petty. He knew it was deeper than that. His finger gently glanced across the hidden slave mark under his hair by his right ear and he knew that that week had scarred him in more ways than just the marks on his back that had never fully disappeared. The nightmares had eventually gone away and he'd made himself stronger, helped Benen recuperate and rebuilt his familial relationships.

However, still to this day if someone was in deep pain and suffering, and blood was involved, he froze. He wasn't afraid of it, he'd told himself over and over again. So why couldn't he just _deal_ with it then?

"You keep staring at that fire with such ire, you just might set the house on fire," Benen chided, breaking his thoughts.

Finn huffed into his clasped hands under his chin with a mild shake of his head. "Sorry."

"What's on your mind?"

Finn huffed again. "Many things… But mostly…" He glanced at Benen and found he couldn't keep eye contact. He really didn't want to talk about this. Benen didn't mind because he'd learned to accept his past years before, but it was still a painful memory for Finn. However, Benen was the only one who understood. He bit his lip, fidgeting in his chair for a minute before asking, "Do you… still struggle with… things? Concerning… Maero?"

Benen took up his wood carving again with a patient expression. "Such as?"

"I… I don't know. I guess…"

Benen raised an eyebrow at the teen's growing silence until Finn finally sighed.

"Blood. I still can't look at blood and just… be normal. I'm not afraid of blood, I just…" He shook his head at a loss for words.

"After what you went through, it's your body's natural instinct not to appreciate seeing it, Finn." Benen replied after a few moments of silence. "It reopens a door full of memories you'd prefer to keep closed."

Finn remained silent, staring into the flames as he listened with a sullen frown.

Benen continued, "You… were abused a lot more than most boys your age. Ratri was an evil man and the worst of all the slave traders on Maero. And because he was so ruthless, he could afford to beat his slaves within an inch of their lives and not be prosecuted."

"How is that even legal?" Finn snipped.

"I suspect politics and government have little to do with the everyday life of a slaving outpost." Benen mused, taking up his carving again. "That being said, you were beaten very badly. Your senses became very accustomed and attuned to the smell of blood, and your body associates the look and smell of it with danger. Hence the first few seconds of frozen shock, then an adrenaline rush that you can't control."

Finn snorted. "And I'm sure you know this based on experience."

Benen cocked his head. "Only the best, though I experienced it as a man around your father's age. Over time you find ways to cope and pull through things. You have better advantages in this way than I did, not that I'm complaining. I could've had it much worse."

"Benen please, you say that like you were in paradise."

"Things could always be worse."

"Worse than slavery?! Worse than people treating you like trash day in and day out?"

"Finn." Benen stopped him with a sharp glance.

Finn shook his head and looked away. This is why he hated talking about this. Because he got too worked up and angry, and all Benen wanted for him was to let go of the past and rise above it. Easier said than done when years later he apparently still couldn't cope in some (albeit minor) areas.

But he was a Haddock and grandson of Stoick the Vast! What if someday he got challenged to a duel and someone got a cut? Or heck, forget the duel, he was a _Viking_ for Thor's sake, there was bound to be blood somewhere down the road. He couldn't be a wimp about it! He'd never become chief or hear the end of it that way.

"I don't want people to think I'm weak."

Benen watched him long enough for Finn to make eye contact. "You, Fearless Finn Haddock, are many things, but you are not weak. And it would take a fool to think otherwise."

Finn cracked a smile, looking back into the flames when the fire crackled and a log fell. Benen took up his carving again when they heard a soft rapping of knuckles on the door. Finn stood as Astrid walked through the door, snowflakes swirling around her ankles as she closed it behind her.

"Mom, how'd it go? Is Svala okay?"

Without even taking off her coat, Astrid dropped her satchel on the floor and wrapped her arms around him. Though she hugged him tightly around his shoulders and pressed her face into his shoulder, he was startled to feel her trembling. Somehow he knew it wasn't from the cold.

"Mom? Mom, what happened?"

Astrid swallowed thickly, refusing to release him. "Does something need to be wrong to get a hug from my son?" Benen held eye contact with her over Finn's shoulder and he slowly looked down, a mournful expression on his face.

Finn pulled her back and looked at her with an almost stern expression. "Mom, I mean it. I'm not a little kid anymore, I can handle the truth. What happened?"

Astrid fiddled with her gloves for a minute and that's when he knew that the news was very bad. His mother didn't fiddle with things as his father did; she got straight to the point while his father tended to beat around the bush. Unless something was very wrong.

Finally, his mother looked up at him and he saw the red eyes, the white complexion, all borne of grief. Astrid's lip trembled as she finally spoke, "The baby didn't make it."

Finn froze, his eyebrows coming down to darken his eyes. "What… but sh-she was fine this morning-"

"The sickness made… him premature…"

Finn had never seen his mother look so grief-stricken. "It was a boy?"

Astrid sniffed and looked up at him through wet eye lashes. "It was a boy." Tears began to fall before she could stop them and Finn nearly yanked her into his arms. "They've wanted a baby so badly… They were so close."

Benen listened sadly from his chair as Finn held his crying mother. But as he listened to Astrid mourn for Tuffnut and Svala's lost child, Benen realized something. She was crying and holding onto Finn in a white-knuckled grip as if someone were trying to take him away from her. Rather than ask about this, he decided to ask the question that was a bit more important.

"How is Svala?" asked Benen in a soft voice.

"She's okay," Astrid sniffed loudly. "Mara thinks she'll pull through but... She's still sick. There's no telling how that will affect..." Childbearing. Benen nodded in understanding, freeing her from having to finish that sentence.

Despite the situation, something caught Benen's attention that confused him. The loss of any child was of course tragic and anyone should mourn the loss... but Astrid acted and behaved as if she herself had lost the child. She clung to Finn in a white knuckles grip as if he'd slip away from her forever.

As far as Benen knew, and as much as he'd ever been told, was that Hiccup and Astrid were unable to have more children after the twins' birth. Her kidnapping, horrible treatment during labor and harsh conditions for birth had proved to be too much for Astrid's body to take, and the only children they would have were Finn and Adrianna.

Another thing Benen had gathered over the years specifically from Gobber, was that Hiccup was very torn up about their inability to have more children. He'd wanted more and it took him some time to come to terms with it. However, it hadn't taken much time for Astrid to come to terms with it at all. Gobber had said that Astrid would occasionally make sweet faces at a baby as if she wanted more, but the topic never came up and as far as anyone knew, the couple hadn't tried for any more.

That was all the information Benen had on the topic, and frankly he'd never had a pertinent reason to ask. But now, with Astrid clinging to her only son and crying over the death of another couple's unborn child...

Benen couldn't help but think that there had to be more to the story.


	9. The Kindness of Strangers

Adrianna didn't have nearly as many nightmares as she had when she was a child but a few of them sometimes made their way into her sleep cycle. By this time, waking up in a cold sweat was beginning to be almost ordinary. Rather than run to her parents, she merely wiped her face with a towel, changed into a different set of pajamas, and went back to sleep. It wasn't that the nightmares didn't bother her, they did, but they weren't a big deal anymore. But memories had a habit of resurfacing and the one that had popped into her brain and into her dreams was one she would rather push down with the rest.

As she wiped the sweat off her face and finally felt her heart rate return to normal, she began to contemplate what she had just remembered. Trying to ignore its presence was like trying to ignore a hungry Monstrous Nightmare while standing in the food storage. Memories this old weren't very clear but the emotions she had felt returned full force. Relief, hope... sudden fear as the hope was forcefully taken away. The realization that she was probably going to die before she saw her family again...

She pressed her palms against her eyes until little lights flashed in the darkness and began to be almost disorienting. Sometimes when she did this, she liked to pretend she was traveling through space while the little colors and shapes whirled around her as she pressed her eyes into their sockets. For some reason, she found it easier to focus with her eyes tightly shut.

She didn't like keeping things from her father. And it wasn't a secret that could be hidden for long; he would certainly look at the list. He couldn't possibly ignore an item that had been underlined three times. One so powerful that it could heal anyone at any point in the disease, as well as heal cuts when mixed with the right herbs...

If only it could heal the psychological scarring that seemed to linger every moment of every day.

"I need more sleep." Adrianna whispered. "Can't fly without sleep."

But the thoughts of what she had seen long ago coupled with her own concern for her fellow Berkians seemed to wake her up more quickly than freezing water in her face. Was Olaf okay? What about Taryn? And Svala... Lily had indicated that she was having a _boy_ and Adrianna had been excited to tell her about her dragon's ability but now that little boy was in jeopardy. If he could survive this at all. Were Finn and Astrid doing okay with all the stress that had been put upon them so quickly? There were too many questions and not enough answers. All the Haddock girl knew was that she and her father would have to find those ingredients as quickly as possible.

She lay back on the bed and curled under the covers just as Lily let out a contented sigh. She wondered if dragons dreamed the same way people did. Did they ever have nightmares? They certainly didn't have the kind of nightmares humans had. Any monsters that chased them could probably be set on fire and they were always naked in public so those kinds of dreams couldn't plague them. She supposed they could always dream that their teeth rotted and fell out but she doubted it. Dragons probably had their own recurring dreams.

She smiled at her train of thought, shaking her head slightly. If she let it, her mind could wander forever and probably never come back. There were so many things to think about, to wonder about, and so few people seemed to understand that. Her father did and so did Erick. Again, she hoped dearly that Erick would be okay. She wished she could be there for her best friend but this was far more important.

She opened her eyes and was surprised to find daylight seeping in through the window. She hadn't even noticed that she'd fallen asleep! That was convenient and worth thanking the gods for before she rose from bed.

Hiccup was downstairs snacking on, interestingly enough, a loaf of bread someone in his group seemed to have left behind. When he spotted his daughter, he tossed her a second loaf.

"I was just thinking about waking you up." he said by way of a greeting. "Outcast Island is kind of a long way from here and I didn't want to leave too late."

Adrianna could hear her dragon descending the staircase, yawning widely and making funny noises with her throat. Hiccup watched as she immediately walked over to a small barrel of fish and started to eat. Toothless, who had already been fed, was sitting up at attention as if he was impatiently waiting for them to leave.

"I haven't been to Outcast Island." Adrianna said thoughtfully as she sat down on a stool near the fire pit. "Though I definitely don't care for Allie the Insincere."

Hiccup grimaced. "I'm with you there. I sent her a note with Pipsqueak last night so she knows we're coming. And..." he paused for a moment before sighing deeply. "Nyssa came back with a note from Berk. It seems everyone's getting sick now. Astrid and Finn are doing their best under the circumstances."

"Did anyone..." Adrianna faltered. She wasn't sure if she wanted an answer to this question but it was probably best to ask it.

Hiccup understood what she meant and paused for a moment. "Svala lost the baby. A boy. But Mara thinks she'll pull through."

Tears began to fill Adrianna's eyes at this news. "No..." she said through her fingers, which had risen to her mouth. "But they were trying for such a long time."

Hiccup got up and seated himself on the stool next to hers. He put an arm around her shoulders as she cried. "I know. It's not fair."

Adrianna hiccuped and wiped her eyes with her sleeve. "We have to get the cure. I don't want anyone else to die."

"I agree." Hiccup kissed her forehead. "Eat your breakfast and put on your coat. Soon as we're ready, we're leaving."

Adrianna's heart broke for Tuffnut and Svala but crying wasn't going to do any good right now. She quickly composed herself and took a generous bite out of the bread before standing up and putting on the layers of clothing she would need for such a long, cold flight.

* * *

Erick Larson had never really thought about the possibility that the healers would fail to heal anyone under their care. Sure, people died on Berk from diseases but those people tended to be very old and frail. Tasha, the healer before Mara, had amputated limbs without her patients dying. She had been the healer when what was left of Hiccup's foot had to come off. Mara had learned everything she knew from Tasha and had already cured many different diseases, in addition to doing checkups, delivering babies, and whatever else healers were supposed to do. But this time, Mara seemed thoroughly overwhelmed. And with Olaf's life hanging in the balance, Erick was beginning to feel genuinely terrified.

Olaf's condition had only worsened since they had brought him into the Great Hall. After a full day and night of rest and calming herbal remedies, nothing seemed to be doing any good. But Erick was still hopeful even when everyone else told him that he should prepare himself for his father's death. The strongest man he had ever known certainly wasn't going to die on _his_ watch. Olaf still had to meet his newest grandchild (and first granddaughter), who had been born a few days before he and Erick had returned from the Bog Burglars. Even Erick hadn't met her yet since Magnus was still recovering on Snoggletog and he'd been preoccupied with seeing Adrianna again.

 _Annie_.

The thought of his best friend made his heart ache. Every time he had needed her for emotional support, she immediately found a way to be by his side through it all. But with his father deteriorating before his eyes, he had never needed her more. He understood why she had to go but not having her around was agonizing. He had just gotten to see her again after two weeks away (which, he realized, was the longest stretch of time they had spent apart in their entire decade of friendship) and now she was gone during what had to be the most stressful time of his life. His blossoming feelings for her aside, he dearly wanted her around to remind him that it was all going to be okay.

Then again, he thought as he looked around the Hall, maybe those would be empty words. True, some of the younger Berkians who had been infected were slowly healing on their own. But the elderly and disabled only worsened as time went on.

Erick's heart broke for the youngest victim of the disease as he watched Tuffnut hold his wife, who still had tears spilling down her face. Erick had heard everything that had happened the previous night. Every cry of pain and then the agonizing silence that followed. Svala openly sobbing for the baby she had so wanted. Tears had dripped down his own face as he cared for his father. But still he would not leave.

As he continued to scan the Hall with his eyes, he spotted Finn helping several Berkians carry in new patients. Even from a distance, Erick could see dark circles under the teenager's eyes. Had he slept at _all_? Even Erick had fallen asleep for a few hours when his mother arrived to continue Olaf's care. But despite Finn's appearance, his posture didn't seem to be affected by the lack of sleep. He stood up straight and pointed out places for the patients to be put while they were under quarantine. Benen, the Haddocks' elderly friend, stayed close by and eyed the boy with concern.

Erick turned back to his father and pressed a cool rag against his forehead. This was a horrible place to spend one's final hours. The youngest Larson was determined to make sure that his father wouldn't die in a place filled with the weak and the sick. Olaf Larson deserved better than that.

"Hang in there, dad." the teenager whispered. "You can beat this."

And, for a moment, he thought he saw his father smile.

* * *

Who knew flying could be so exhausting? Her back hurt from slouching; her feet hurt from the stirrups; her legs hurt from dangling to relieve her feet from said stirrups; her elbows hurt from resting on Lily's horns; and her back end hurt from sitting for countless hours. First thing she'd do once she'd get home (well… the second thing after checking in with Erick of course) would be to put in an order for a new saddle made specifically for long trips.

This new saddle would have at least three layers of padding for her bottom and lower back. Perhaps she'd request some elbow guards to protect her forearms from Lily's bony horns, or maybe even some purple bands to slide onto the horns themselves. After this trip she was positive that she'd never go on a long trip again until she had the _perfect_ saddle for such an occasion.

Adrianna sighed again for the millionth time that hour. Dusk was approaching and with it came the cold. Thankfully her father had told her to put on her coat in advance. Smoky clouds billowed around them in a hazy atmosphere, which she had enjoyed at first. It wasn't hard to find shapes and images in the clouds and by extension drown in a stream of never-ending thoughts on a topic drawn from the shapes. For a while she'd entertained herself with lots of thinking, but even a hard thinker could grow tired of the silence and overall lack of activity.

And she couldn't help but feel at least a little pensive as to their destination. Though she'd never been to Outcast Island, her prior experiences with some of the people who'd visited Berk a year and a half prior weren't exactly her closest friends. Then again, they weren't to be there for very long. She knew her father would work quickly to find the ingredients they needed and they'd leave as soon as possible. As far as she knew, he didn't have a great relationship with the Outcasts either.

However, it would be late by the time they'd arrive. There was no telling what mood Allie the Insincere would be in at their intrusion and it wasn't likely that she'd offer them a house to stay in for the night. Not everyone was as generous as Camicazi had been, so they wouldn't expect anything different.

A loud sniff and hot exhale blew her hair off to one side and Adrianna angled her head up at Toothless to give him a straight-faced expression. The Night Fury chortled at her impassivity, gliding to eye level with Lily. The Monstrous Nightmare gave a wiggle of excitement when Toothless gave her a questioning growl; she seemed to be excited that the silence was being broken after so long.

"Toothless, you're disturbing the peace. Ow." Hiccup remarked flatly when Toothless smacked his thigh with an ear plate.

Adrianna giggled and realized for the first time that her father was laid back in his saddle, an arm wrapped around his head like a pillow as he gazed up at the purple sky, his foot and prosthetic the only things keeping him attached to Toothless. She couldn't help but wonder just how many times he'd fallen off of his dragon to be so nonchalant about the danger. She herself had only fallen off of Lily once before and that had been a frightful incident…

"Comfortable?" Adrianna asked him as she leaned back into her saddle with an unsatisfied grunt.

Hiccup hummed quietly. "Yes."

"Good. I'm not."

Hiccup chuckled. "I'm sorry."

"No you're not. You've got the best seat."

"The best seat?"

Adrianna looked upwards at the clouds. "Am I hearing an echo?"

"Ha ha…" Hiccup made a face as she stuck her tongue out at him. "Careful, I just might have to pull that out."

Adrianna snorted. "Please, what would you do without hearing my soft, sweet voice every day?"

"You could still make noises. Communicate dragon style!" Hiccup chortled at her overall look of disgust.

"No, I'm afraid I have enough social issues as it is, thank you."

"Psh…" Hiccup shook his head, looking up to the skies once more. "Society is overrated."

"I don't know," Adrianna looked around at the vast expanse of nothing all around them. "I kind of miss it."

Hiccup took in a deep breath of air and exhaled heavily. Adrianna looked over at him and was surprised to see a nostalgic look on his face. "Sometimes…" he began quietly. "I miss the good days when I was younger. Not a lot of responsibility, nowhere super important to be…" Adrianna snorted and he narrowed his eyes at her for a moment. "Just a boy and his dragon, traveling the oceans and lands, searching for dragons and studying new dragons… trying new tricks…" He abruptly ended in a shrug.

"Then we happened." Adrianna murmured, but it carried in the wind so he heard. She saw him sit up out of the corner of her eye and lean over Toothless' head to see her better.

"And it's the best thing that ever happened to me. Me and your mom." He smiled wide and she knew it was the truth. "If it weren't for you and your brother, I think I'd still be doing stupid things while thinking there were no consequences."

"Ah, so we were the final straw then?" Adrianna spoke before thinking and then bit her tongue. Sometimes her brain just decided to be awkward and dumb…

But to her relief, he laughed and nodded vehemently. "Oh, for sure. I don't deny it a bit."

Adrianna still frowned. "But…" she paused, almost afraid to question her next thought. But his green eyes burning into hers, the eyes that she reflected, she couldn't hold it back. "So many bad things have happened to you and mom… Don't you get… tired of it?"

Nostalgia hit his face once again for a moment, but then it softened into something more… sweet. Adrianna couldn't place it, but she waited with bated breath for his response.

"A lot of bad things have happened. And almost none of them have been easy. It's been a long, hard road to travel. Both your mother and I have had many things taken from us over the years… some of those things we weren't fortunate enough to get back." Adrianna frowned emphatically when Poppy and Nana's images flashed to her mind. "But," Hiccup smiled with a happy glint in his eye. "That's life, isn't it? You can't have life the straight and easy way, or else you wouldn't learn anything. There'd be no reason to fight for the things you love or no reason to work hard for the things you care about. It'd just be handed to you on a silver platter."

"But were all those terrible things worth it in the end?" Adrianna asked, images flashing to her mind that she forced down with a hard blink. "Can there really be something good that comes from the bad?"

She could see the wheels turning in his head. She knew that they were probably thinking some of the same things; she knew that he could be thinking many more terrifying things that she could never dream of. She had so many secrets that she didn't want to think about, let alone talk about… terrifying secrets kept in a hidden compartment in the recesses of her brain that no little girl should ever have had to deal with.

Yet she still wanted to know: could any good come from bad?

Hiccup finally smiled softly at her and it was almost enough to melt her hardened soul. "Absolutely. The bad things that happen to you…" Toothless gently glided closer as if reading his mind, and Hiccup gently reached out to rest his hand on Adrianna's. "Can build you… but they will never define you. Sure, there's scar tissue that comes with any wound, but so does healing. It's a process, a part of life. Bad things happen to good people all the time, Addie. But that doesn't turn them into bad people."

Adrianna rested her other hand over his and quietly replied, "But when push comes to shove, they could turn into bad people."

"They could. But I guess that just depends on the person and who they spend their time with." Hiccup sighed, "And a part of healing is forgiveness. You can never fully heal from something until you let the problem go. Do you think your mother and I would still be together if we'd never forgiven each other?"

Adrianna shook her head with pursed lips. She knew that to be true. "Or do you think you and your mother would have a great relationship now if you hadn't forgiven each other?"

"No." Also true.

She knew he was right. He always was and he was speaking from experience. She wanted to believe him but… no. Some people couldn't be forgiven. Some people didn't deserve forgiveness. He hadn't experienced the things she had and he had never had to deal with fear and stress like she had. He couldn't expect her to just soak in his words like a sponge and act on them from then on. Life wasn't easy like that. She was on the same page with him on that note.

Adrianna pulled her hands away from his and stretched her arms over her head. She finally sighed with a heavy slouch and frowned at him. "Are we there yet?"

Hiccup blinked at the sudden change in conversation and wondered how they'd even gotten to such a serious topic. But he was glad they'd had it. She had asked some good questions there and seemed pretty receptive to his answers. That had to be a good thing, right?

Facing forward and taking a few glances up at the now darkened sky, Hiccup replied, "We'll be there in about an hour."

"Yippee."

"I know these two are getting tired as it is, but maybe if we pick up the speed a bit we can make it in around forty minutes. What do you say, guys? Want to finish this trip?" Toothless and Lily both growled in agreement, both eagerly pumping their wings a little harder. Their riders laughed and patted or scratched their heads. "All right then, bundle up. No falling."

Adrianna scowled. "Hey, I haven't fallen off yet all this time! You've fallen off your dragon more times than I have in my entire life!"

Hiccup snorted. "Intentional falls don't count."

"Ohhh that's right, you're just falling with style when you do that."

The dragons chortled with laughter at Hiccup's deadpan expression. If anyone thought these two weren't related, there was something seriously wrong with them.

"Alright Miss Smartypants, buckle up. Last one to Outcast Island takes care of our stinky boots." Hiccup snapped Toothless' fastest gear into place and they took off in a swooping dive.

"Hey, no fair!" Adrianna shouted after them. "Come on, Lily! Surely the children are always better than the parents!"

Swooping and diving, barrel rolling and twisting and turning… Adrianna and Lily kept up with the duo fairly well considering they were the master team of the archipelago when it came to bonding dragons and humans. But by the time they reached the outskirts of Outcast Island roughly forty-five minutes later she couldn't feel her face, fingers or toes.

A watchtower blazing with a fire pit caught Hiccup's eye and he and Toothless led the girls toward it. A sentry with a hairy mustache under a big, warty nose shouted at them to halt. Along the watchtower's length, a legion of thirty men poised with crossbows armed and ready.

"'o there, what's yer business 'ere?"

Hiccup halted Toothless in midair and called down toward him. "Chief Haddock of Berk, here on special business with your chief! Permission to proceed?"

"Who's that wit' ya?"

"This is my daughter, accompanying me."

"Jus' chief and heir-"

"Daughter only. My heir's at home."

Adrianna groaned internally at the comment yet kept her face placid. Just the daughter; everything _always_ had to do with being the heir. If she were younger than Finn by a few years, or even one year, she'd understand and wouldn't be bothered as much. But seriously, they were the same age; mere minutes apart. Did it really matter? Despite these swirls of annoyed thoughts, she wished the man would just let them pass so she could touch sweet earth again. She eyed the soldiers' crossbows warily, willing them to lower the weapons with her mind as some characters in her books could do.

The sentry looked up at her father with a blank face before he lit up with recognition. "Oh yes, the one wit' the twins, eh?"

"Yes," Hiccup replied curtly, trying to remain civil. "Permission to land? It's been a long flight."

"One mo' question and I'll leave ya be. How long will ya be stayin' at Outcast Island fer?"

"I hope to leave in less than a day, though I will need to speak with your chief on the matter."

"Awright then, I don' see any reason not to letcha pass. You're clear; enjoy your stay at Outcast Island!" The sentry ordered his soldiers to _finally_ lower their weapons and waved the Berkians on. Toothless and Lily wasted no time in swooping past, the Night Fury giving the sentry a final growl of dissent as he passed.

Adrianna frowned once the watchtower was far behind them and Outcast Island loomed ahead of them in all its dank and dusky grandeur. "Why didn't they ask why we're here?"

Hiccup shrugged indifferently. "He doesn't seem like the sharpest knife in the drawer. If I hadn't sent a letter to Allie ahead of time it would be a much bigger deal for us to show up."

"True…" Adrianna eyed the cloudy waters below with a disgusted scowl. "This place seems very…" Try to be tactful. "Clean." Could be better.

Hiccup snickered in his saddle beside her. "It's been worse, trust me. A lot worse. When Allie the Insincere became chief, she wasn't at all impressed with Alvin's poor use of the land and water. The ocean was pretty polluted and the land was hard to till. But over time, she's made some legitimately good choices for the village here. They've got a nice agricultural system going now and eventually the fish have started to come back in, so they don't have to go as far out to sea to fish. I'll give credit where it is due: she's done a fine job in that regard."

Adrianna hummed in surprise. She wouldn't think Allie to be one that cared much about things like agriculture, but the more she thought about it, nobody could lead a village without taking proper care of them. And you couldn't have legitimate followers if your people weren't too fond of you due to poor choices in leadership.

"Stay close," Hiccup warned as Toothless took a hard turn left to avoid a crag in the rocks. "The rock formations aren't as spread out as they are at home, and the people here are kind of skittish."

"They wouldn't just… fire then aim at someone, would they?" Adrianna asked hopefully.

"An Outcast will always be an Outcast, Addie. Rules almost mean nothing out here. You feel threatened by someone, you shoot and ask questions later."

"Aaaand you brought me along for this mission why?"

Hiccup frowned. "I seem to recall you wanted to come when I asked. Besides, I had no intention of coming here in the first place. This was just on the list Camicazi gave me." Toothless rumbled in uncomfortable agreement.

Adrianna looked around the hazy land around her with a furrowed brow. She remembered the story of her father and Snotlout being trapped on Outcast Island when they were teenagers. And the story of his and Toothless' kidnapping. Oh, and Poppy's kidnapping and rescue…

"You've been here way too many times for bad things." Adrianna raised her eyebrows at him. "You and mom should take a dream vacation here sometime. I'm sure they've got some nice… areas."

Her father turned to her a cheeky grin. "Thanks, but I've had enough of adventures here."

"I didn't say adventures. I said vacation. Weren't you listening?"

"Yes and since when have I ever had a vacation?" Hiccup inquired with a serious air. "I think the first fifteen years of my life were boring enough to compensate for my utter lack of vacation time now."

Adrianna giggled and punched him in the shoulder fondly. Hiccup looked at the offended limb and then up at her with mock disapproval.

"What did I tell you about hitting?"

"Mom hits you all the time."

"This is old news. Your mother's been hitting me since we were four."

"So?"

"So I've received enough abuse from the women of my household, thank you very much."

"Aww remind me later and I'll kiss it for you." Adrianna smiled sweetly while he stuck out his tongue. A soft growl from Lily caught her attention and she looked ahead to see torch lights in the distance. A decent sized village of dark houses and small gardens on the outskirts stood between two mountain hills. A river flowed past from the depths of the island farther out, which must have provided their drinking water and watering hole for animals and planting. Up in the mountain crags she could make out the occasional house, the beams wedged between hard crevices, uneven ledges and tricky corners.

Adrianna stared at the homes dubiously. "How in the world…"

"Does one build a house on a mountain like that?" Hiccup interrupted quizzically. "No idea. I can't say that in all of my adventures that that was one of my questions to ask Alvin."

"I don't imagine so."

"I admit that it's interesting, albeit a little crazy. Almost like a completely different culture. But hey…" Hiccup breathed a laugh. "Outcasts: it's in the name."

Adrianna smiled knowingly. "And yet here we are riding fire breathing lizards. Vikings: it's in the name."

"Touché."

Finally their dragons began to fly over houses, doing their best to fly quietly (but not _too_ quietly). Hiccup searched for the village square and soon found it. He couldn't decide whether to be surprised or not that Allie the Insincere stood in the center of the stone circle, arms crossed and scowl ever apparent.

Toothless and Lily landed with a trot, skidding to a halt a few yards in front of Allie. Adrianna whispered her thanks to her dragon as she gratefully slid to the ground. Her knees nearly buckled under the sudden pressure but, not wanting to look weak in front of the opposing chief, she held her ground to stand tall with her chin raised. Her father slid out of his saddle, pausing only to hiss at the sharp contact from gravity onto his sensitive stump after so many hours of disuse. Adrianna barely caught the small rise at the corner of Allie's mouth. She'd never understand why this woman loved to see her father in pain.

Hiccup stretched his limbs as he walked toward the other chief before extending a hand. "Hello Allie, thank you for allowing us here on short-"

"Are you two sick?"

Hiccup paused at her sharp question and bold expression. "No. We're not. How did you-"

"Word spreads a lot faster than you might think, Haddock. Don't be so naïve." Allie rolled her eyes and eyed Adrianna critically when she stood beside her father. "Well, I can't say you look quite as homely as before. And you've grown… that's always a plus."

Adrianna frowned. Why was she sizing her up? "It's nice to see you too, Chief." Adrianna put on her largest, sweetest smile… but only because she imagined the sweet memory of a soaking wet Allie from the holes in her mug. A small part of her wished that she could prank her just _one_ more time… but then it'd be obvious who'd done the pranking to begin with. She honestly had to wonder if her father had the guts to prank anyone, and sadly there wasn't much option to choose from beyond that. Bummer.

"My daughter was never homely. Just because everyone has some sort of biased opinion, for whatever reason, doesn't mean that it's true." Hiccup defended his daughter with a hand on her shoulder to draw her closer to his side. "But we're not here to argue with you about petty things." Ouch. Had he just… _ouch_. Adrianna could see Allie bite back the roguish smirk when her father plowed on, oblivious as to the comment he'd just made. "We need to find a few ingredients on your land for the cure before the sickness gets worse. I'm sure you'd agree that we don't want the entirety of the archipelago undergoing a huge epidemic."

"Which can only happen if one allows those who are sick into their land…" Allie mused while inspecting her nails with an almost bored expression.

Hiccup attempted to reign in his sigh. "We're not sick, I promise. The healer on Bog cleared us and gave us the cure as a precaution. We're completely fine. And, on top of that if you need the extra assurance, we stayed in a house all to ourselves as opposed to with infected people. Now are you satisfied?"

Adrianna's mind was nearly swirling with this professional talk. She was exhausted, hungry and tired, and very much unused to listening to her father's chief lingo. Why couldn't they just talk like normal people?

Allie snorted. "I'll be satisfied when you get your tails off my island. But I won't be unreasonable."

"Good." Hiccup hesitated, his eyes catching on a few people walking nearby. Adrianna followed his gaze to see a woman and her teenage son, an elderly couple and one man walking alone with a sword on his shoulder. Outcasts. Her father continued in the background, "I don't suppose-"

"No. I don't have any spare houses for you to stay in. If you didn't come prepared-"

"Lucky for you, we did. No need to offer any services, don't worry." Hiccup snipped, apparently tired enough to let some formalities go.

Allie sneered back, "Good. Now get lost somewhere. We'll find you in the morning to tell you where stuff-"

"Chief?"

Allie frowned in confusion when the teenage boy walked toward their circle. He stood in the space between Adrianna and Allie, his shoulder very nearly clearing the younger girl's head. The only one taller than him at the moment was her father, and even then it was by a few inches. He only seemed to be about a year older than her, but was very tall. His light brown hair was at the perfect length so it rested just off his eyebrows and nearly covered his ears, and his tanned complexion was set off by the blue orbs that were his eyes.

Adrianna's first thought when he stood beside her was… wow. She didn't think this in any romantic way because when she rarely (okay generally) thought about boys, the only kind of attractive she really thought of (and was accustomed to) were the traits Erick held. But this guy… hoo boy. She was utterly convinced that he was the village Romeo. Well, if Vikings read good books then they'd probably agree with her.

Allie had snapped at him for his untimely interruption but the boy seemed very unfazed by her outburst. In fact, he seemed to enjoy watching her stew in her frustration as he spoke with almost an air of authority (something neither she nor her father had seen before).

"Sorry chief, I didn't mean to eavesdrop. But my mom and I were thinking that it's going to be cold tonight, the chief and his daughter are tired. They can stay at our place tonight." The boy smiled warmly at the chief, who seemed to stare at him dubiously for a moment.

The apparent mother stepped in beside Hiccup at that moment with an equal sized grin on her face. "Yes please, I can't stand the thought of anyone sleeping in the cold all night. Especially if they're fighting sicknesses on Berk, these two need to keep up their good health in their search."

"I'm sorry, I don't believe we've met before…" Hiccup held a hand out to her with a warm smile.

"Lofn Anderson, chief. It's a pleasure to meet you." Lofn gave him a wide smile and shook his hand heartily.

The boy stepped forward with his hand outstretched. "And I'm Brandyn." Brandyn shook his hand and deeply inhaled. "Wow… the great Dragon Master-"

"Oh please," Hiccup snorted. "Spare me, this guy got lucky."

"I'll say." Allie replied with a grunt, suspiciously eyeing his prosthetic.

Brandyn suddenly turned to her with his hand outstretched. "And you must be… sorry, Adelina?"

"Adrianna," she corrected with a forgiving smile and shook his hand.

"That's right, I'm sorry. I knew your brother's name but-"

"Eh it's fine. He's more popular anyway. Heir of the tribe and all, no biggie…"

Brandyn cocked his head at her curiously before turning back to the talking adults. "Anyway," he unabashedly interrupted whatever Allie was saying. Hiccup bit back a grin at Lofn's scolding look and Allie's scalding gaze. "What do you think, chief?"

Allie pinched the bridge of her nose impatiently. "If you two get sick, you're leaving the village."

Adrianna couldn't help it. She openly gasped, "You'd outcast the Outcasts? That's not cool."

Brandyn nodded in agreement. "Yeah, that's not cool."

Adrianna was sorely tempted to shout at the top of her lungs that "Allie hates Outcasts!" but she figured that she was pushing the chief's buttons already if her red face had anything to do with it.

"Just go, whatever. I'll find you in the morning." And with that, the chief of the Outcasts marched off into the night.

Brandyn turned to Adrianna with a snicker. "You're a lot more awesome than I expected."

Adrianna winced and looked away as if hurt. "Everyone always says that."

"Ah… sorry."

Adrianna raised an eyebrow. "Sarcasm…"

"Yeah, me too."

Adrianna narrowed her eyes at the boy before he laughed. She didn't know what kind of dream this was, but it was very strange and strangely… fun. But unfortunately her father interrupted her moment of glory before she could come up with another comeback.

"You two are totally adorable and all, but I have two tired, starving dragons and I'm about to pass out."

Adrianna blushed at his words, but Lofn blessedly turned the attention off of her. "Don't you worry a thing about the dragon. If they'll allow it, we'll take care of them and get you both some hot soup. Come, we live down this street."

Hiccup gave Adrianna a surprised, approving look before he allowed her to follow close behind Brandyn. Toothless and Lily followed them down the street with their tails dragging, and Hiccup had to quietly coax them into following them the whole way a couple of times. Adrianna felt very bad for them and when they finally reached Brandyn and Lofn's home, she stopped to give each dragon a hug and kiss on the nose.

"Thank you, guys. You're amazing. Sleep well!"

The dragons wandered into the rather sizable pen by the house and plopped next to a rather large Changewing. Brandyn sauntered forward and patted it on the nose.

"It's all right, Syd." he said in a rather gentle voice. "They're friends."

"Interesting name." Hiccup commented as the dragon called Syd finally decided that the two strangers weren't hostile.

"Oh yeah, I've had him forever." Brandyn hurried forward so he could open the front door for them. "He used to be this tiny little thing with the loudest bark. Drove us all nuts. So I named him Syd. Small Yappy Dragon."

Hiccup laughed. "Can't say Toothless' name came from anything accurate."

"Yeah..." Brandyn remarked wryly as he looked out the window to catch a glimpse of the Night Fury's fangs hanging over his scaly lips. "Accurate all right."

Hiccup turned to face the teenager. "Hey, thank you for offering us a place to stay. Addie's exhausted and at least one night somewhere warm will be good for her. I really appreciate your kindness."

"You two can sleep in our rooms." Lofn said cheerfully. "We'll sleep down here."

"Oh no, I don't want to imp-"

"It's no imposition." the mother insisted. "We've got a nice warm fire and plenty of blankets and pillows. We're fine down here."

Brandyn piped from the doorway, "Also, I'd like to accompany you on your quest for ingredients tomorrow, if that's all right?"

Hiccup shrugged. "It's up to your chief in all honesty. We'd appreciate the willing hands all the same."

"She won't care." Brandyn rolled his eyes. "Long as it doesn't get in her way, she couldn't care less what anyone does around here."

"It's getting late, Brandyn, why don't you show Adrianna to your room?" Lofn gestured to an old but very sturdy staircase to their left.

"Right this way." Brandyn allowed the girl to proceed first before following her up the staircase. "It's not much but it's comfortable."

"I'll try not to turn it into a girl's haven." Adrianna quipped with a smile.

"Don't believe her!" Hiccup's voice wafted up the stairs. "You'll be lucky to only find flower petals in your sheets."

"I wouldn't do that to you." Adrianna said as Brandyn opened his bedroom door for her. "It's just the one night. And I left my flower petals at home."

"Ehh." Brandyn grinned cheekily. "I wouldn't mind if you did." he winked at her and, before she could respond, immediately turned and went back downstairs.

Adrianna, amused smile still on her face, turned around and took in her surroundings. Brandyn's room wasn't very big and it certainly couldn't be called tidy. Piles of papers littered one corner of the room while a pile of clothes was on the other. They seemed to be clean and Adrianna's smile widened as she realized that yet another person had too many things on his mind to do something as tedious as folding laundry. She had a pile of clothes in a corner of her own room back home and her mother was constantly telling her to put it away. Brandyn's walls had pictures he'd drawn scattered across it without any real organization. There was also a long sword hanging up above the unused dresser. His bed wasn't made but the sheets appeared to be clean.

As the girl sat down on the bed, her limbs started to feel less tense as her weight was removed from them. She unpacked a set of pajamas and was pleased to note that she would be quite comfortable that night as she snuggled into the blankets. Feeling began to return to her face and her fingers as she put on the pajamas and by the time she was ready for bed, her whole body felt a lot more relaxed than it had been since Snoggletog.

Propping the pillows up so that she could read a book before she went to sleep, the Haddock girl thanked the gods for the kindness of strangers. Maybe the Outcasts weren't as bad as they seemed to be.


	10. Obstacles

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

Hiccup jerked awake and groaned loudly at the increasing pounds from the doorway on the other side of the door. Throwing the blanket over his head and covering his exposed ear with his hand didn't seem to help much, and when the pounding only seemed to grow louder, he threw the blankets off and strapped on his prosthetic with a pitiful whine. He opened the bedroom door and walked down the hall in time to see Brandyn trudge through the living room with his shirt untucked and hair askew. The teenager groggily muttered something under his breath as he opened the door to reveal Allie the Insincere.

The chief of the Outcasts huffed in annoyance. "About time. I'm-"

"Seriously?" Brandyn interrupted and Hiccup was once again surprised at the tone of voice he used with her. She, too, seemed surprised. "Dawn has barely broken, we have two exhausted guests in the house, and you can't even _pretend_ to be courteous?"

Allie frowned in annoyance. "Brandyn-"

"Come back in three hours." The teenager promptly slammed the door in her face, muffling her cry of anger. Brandyn snickered under his breath and turned back toward his made-up bed on the couch, but froze when he saw Hiccup standing there in the middle of the hallways. "Heh… you saw all that didn't you?"

"Don't worry, I won't tell your mother."

"Thanks… I think." Brandyn shoved his messy bangs off his face. "You should go back to bed. Long day ahead of us."

"Yeah…" But Hiccup knew he wouldn't be able to fall back to sleep again. "I could say the same for you."

"Eh I can sleep anywhere, anytime. I just feel bad that she woke you up this early."

Hiccup shrugged. "I'll live."

"She's so annoying," Brandyn huffed, plopping back into his rumpled sheets on the couch. "I can't wait until I'm old enough to get out of here."

"Where do you want to go?"

"Anywhere but here. Not anywhere colder than this."

"What do you do?"

"Mostly training to be a soldier. You know, typical Outcast stuff."

Hiccup snorted. "Oh, you're not part of the landscaping system?"

"Oh, thanks for reminding me; I need to water my petunias. Have you lost your mind?" They laughed quietly, hoping not to wake up Brandyn's mother and Adrianna. "No, I think I'd go crazy if I just had to till the ground all day."

"Every person has his own work."

"This much is true."

"So… anything else? You have a Changewing. Do you train with him at all?" Hiccup inquired.

Brandyn nodded, "For sure, when I have time outside of weaponry and strategy and whatnot. I wish we had more time to train together since we're kinda supposed to be a team, but the chief's adamant that our soldiers' training is more important. As is the agriculture."

"Well, she's right on that last point. I honestly don't know how Alvin ever had people living here. You should've seen it before she got to it."

"Was it that bad? I mean… you can kinda tell that it's not perfect."

Hiccup laughed, "The first time I saw it I recall thinking 'talk about your fixer upper'."

"You didn't."

"No really, I probably snarked it to Alvin's face."

"Honestly, how have you made it this far in life?"

"I still ask myself that question."

"You're insane," Brandyn leaned back against the couch to stare at the ceiling. "Everything everyone has said about you is true." He eyed Hiccup mischievously and waved his hand gently, "All good things, all good things."

Hiccup laughed. "I'm accustomed to both the good and the bad, so no hard feelings."

"Unfortunately all I've ever heard about Adrianna is bad things. She doesn't look to be a troublemaker. I mean, she seems to be your pretty, average girl." Hiccup narrowed his eyes at the word "pretty", and Brandyn scratched his neck awkwardly. "Ahh I mean she is pretty, but I'm not like creeping on her or anything…"

Hiccup laughed. "Ah she just had her first kiss a few days ago so don't get ahead of yourself."

"That's cool! I mean… I just met her last night… Who was it?"

"Her first kiss?"

"Yeah, what's his name?"

"Why? Jealous of a guy you've never met?"

"No, just curious!"

Hiccup snorted. "His name's Erick."

Brandyn nodded solidly. "Good strong name."

"As opposed to…" Hiccup waved a hand around in circles. "I don't know… Hiccup?"

Brandyn threw his hands up. "You said it, not me!"

"I blame my parents."

"That would be the wisest thing. Why did they name you that anyway? Everyone's always wondered. I mean, you've turned out to be pretty sweet."

"With a cherry on top?" Hiccup asked and Brandyn punched his shoulder. "But seriously, I was born early. I was pretty small- well, I'm still pretty small but I hide well with allll thissss."

Brandyn laughed at his wild gestures to his thin frame. "Quite fearsome. At least you can grow a beard. I'm sure that helps with your manliness a bit."

"Ugh, beards are itchy and my wife hates them."

"What's her name again?"

"Astrid."

"That's right. I'd heard that somewhere. Oh, but major rabbit trail…" Brandyn slung an arm over the back of the couch casually. "What's with all the misconceptions on Adrianna?"

"Well," Hiccup scratched his cheek idly. "What have you heard? Can't refute misconceptions if you don't know what they are."

"I heard she was kidnapped when she was little. Allie says she's weird, immature, clumsy and irresponsible. One kid even said she was ugly, but unless she hit… puberty like crazy then they were pretty blind." Hiccup snorted and allowed him to continue without a snarky comment. "But she didn't seem that bad when we were talking last night."

Hiccup shrugged. "No she's… quiet. Reserved, compassionate, caring. Spends a lot of time reading and thinking and she'll talk to you about random little things she's thinking about. She can be goofy and a bit irresponsible, but those things don't bother me because she's exactly like I was. Always getting into trouble, trying to help out and always failing. But one thing that's accurate is how clumsy she is. Another trait she got from me."

"Ah you're not clumsy-"

"No? Do you see this thing?" Hiccup lifted his prosthetic.

Brandyn raised an eyebrow. "I heard you got into a dragon fight and unless you tripped into its mouth, I doubt that had to do with clumsiness."

"Labeling it as a dragon fight would be downplaying it just a bit. And no, that's not how it happened. I was just merely pointing out the fact that I'm clumsier than you might think. Take walking through the woods, for example. You're not going to feel all the tree root and stumps and random pebbles and rocks that you might trip on with your half metal, half wood contraption strapped to your leg."

"Ah… good point. But is that clumsiness genetic?"

"Oh yes, I've always been clumsy. It just got worse with this."

Brandyn nodded. "Sooo… all that to say, she's in fact very normal and just has a lot of preconceived notions about her?"

"Yep. Odin knows why. She doesn't have a lot of friends as it is. What I wouldn't give for her to just feel… important."

Brandyn smirked. "I don't know; this Erick person seems to like her."

"Yeah, he does," Hiccup smiled wide. "Probably the one thing that she's ever been blessed with."

"Aside from the rest of your family, of course."

"Of course."

Brandyn stretched his arms over his head with a yawn. "Well I don't see why she isn't more popular. She's cute, she's witty, she's good with dragons and has a freaking Monstrous Nightmare. I mean, seriously. People should be crawling all over her."

"Ahhh I could do without that, but maybe a wee bit more of a social life could do her well."

"What about your son? Finn, right?"

Hiccup scoffed. "Finn. He's got more of a social life than he can handle."

"Social butterfly?"

"You have no idea."

"So he had his first kiss, what, last year then?"

Hiccup laughed. "Ha! Well, to my knowledge, that is probably the first thing Addie's beaten him to."

"Really? Fabulous Finn doesn't have a hovel of ladies?"

"Uhh… yes and no? He kind of has a girlfriend and a crush on another girl, well uhh… woman who's old enough to be his mother-"

"What?" Brandyn guffawed. "What a little player!"

"Well, she's not into him if pinching his cheek and saying 'he's so cute I could squeeze him!' is any indication." Hiccup laughed. "Anyway, I'm not honestly sure how he's doing in that regard. He's still on the free side of being a teenager. It's his business besides. I won't start getting on his back about that stuff unless he starts being stupid or is pushing twenty-five and is yet to produce an heir."

"Produce…" Brandyn snorted. "Like a cow."

"No, not PRO-duce… ah, you know what? Never mind." Hiccup chuckled. "Well we do need a new chief. Though I suppose, if worst came to worst, we could always theoretically appoint Addie's firstborn."

"What are you doing to my firstborn?"

Both Hiccup and Brandyn jumped, startled at the much higher voice that had cut into their conversation. They turned to look at her standing at the foot of the stairs, arms crossed and leaning on her hip. Hiccup stifled a laugh; sometimes she could look just like her mother.

Adrianna raised an eyebrow. "Are you already setting me up for marriage? Don't you think I'm a bit young to be having children?"

"Gods, yes." Hiccup's face began redden. "In fact, I forbid you from having children until after I'm dead."

"Well that should be easy. You just said you were clumsy." Brandyn chortled as Hiccup frowned. "It's okay, Anna. Your father's just using you as a last resort in the heir department."

"Gee, thanks dad." Adrianna deadpanned. "That makes me feel so special."

"You are special. You're under so much less pressure. That's the real reason you're not the heir. I don't want you birthing children." Hiccup inwardly cringed at the thought.

"Ahh so even if I were the firstborn, you just want to protect me from the trauma of childbirth." Adrianna narrowed her eyes at her father.

"Exactly. Good someone understands." Hiccup replied through equally narrowed eyes.

"You have thought of everything." Brandyn piped up. "Very thorough of you. Remind me to keep my distance from your daughter. Don't want her giving birth prematurely."

Hiccup blanched and shuddered in horror. Adrianna, however, seemed to find this statement funny. She immediately walked around the edge of the couch and plopped herself next to Brandyn, snuggling in with a daring smirk.

"Oh no! Ohhhh no!" Hiccup shouted, hopping to his feet and wiggling his way between them. Brandyn laughed as he shoved them apart and added, "I think not. Ever. There must always be a minimum of eight inches between the two of you. At all times. From now until the end of eternity. Period."

"Aww, but dad! He's so handsome." Adrianna whined. "Our children would be adorable."

Brandyn threw an arm over Hiccup's shoulders. "Yeah, come on, dad. I bet they'd have your eyes." He tugged at a strand of Adrianna's hair affectionately.

"You mean _her_ eyes?" Hiccup raised an eyebrow, quickly slapping Brandyn's hand away from his daughter's precious (and now forbidden) golden locks. "I think I like Erick better. He's a bit less cocky."

"Ahh, confidence is attractive. One day you will be mine." Brandyn waggled his eyebrows.

"I'm flattered, Brandyn, but I'm a married man. I'm afraid I must decline your rather generous offer." Hiccup quipped with a giant grin on his face, holding up his hand so that the teenage boy could clearly see his wedding ring.

"You know, chief Hiccup, you are an incredible man and you have gorgeous eyes but I'm afraid my attraction lies in womenkind." Brandyn patted his shoulder.

"Womenkind over the age of 18." Hiccup added. "My baby is ineligible."

"Wait, now you're deciding the rules of my future? Thanks." Brandyn frowned.

"Hey, we could always elope." Adrianna suggested cheerfully, enjoying her father's tortured expression.

"Ooh yeah, I have a Changewing! We could totally disappear into thin air. Ride off into the sunset." Brandyn winked at her.

"No!" Hiccup bellowed. "There will be _no_ eloping, _no_ disappearing, and definitely, absolutely, positively NO CHILDREN!"

Lofn, who had just walked in, paused for a moment to take in the sight of Hiccup's red face and their teenagers giggling at his discomfort.

"What in Odin's name is going on in here?" she asked curiously.

"Lofn, thank you for your hospitality but I'm afraid we're going to have to leave right now before your son elopes with and then impregnates my daughter."

"Hey!"

"Brandyn!" Lofn crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes at her son. "What did I tell you about hitting on random strangers?"

"Hey, I can't help it. It's the Dragon Whisperer and his hot daughter on our couch. Where anything could happen." Brandyn blew a kiss at Adrianna, who pretended to swoon.

The door randomly swung open and Allie strode into the room. "I am very glad that you've warmed up to your guests," the Outcast chief declared authoritatively, "but I'd like them off my island as soon as possible. So what is it you want?"

"What I _want_ is for this piece of work to stop flirting with me and my daughter." Hiccup elbowed Brandyn in the ribs.

Allie frowned. "And?"

"A silver fish." Adrianna added.

"Oh. Well _those_ we have. Brandyn can show you where they are-"

"Aww come on-" Hiccup groaned while Brandyn smirked victoriously.

"And I can get back to more important matters." Allie concluded.

Hiccup frowned at a snickering Brandyn. "I suppose you'll just have to do."

"Yes. We'll have an adventure. It'll be fun! What could possibly go wrong?"

* * *

Astrid woke up with a sore throat and feeling less than energized. She got up and peeked into her son's room, dismayed to find the bed untouched. A flicker of anger ignited within her as she threw on a coat and stomped out the door, muttering the entire flight on Stormfly. When she arrived at the Great Hall, she spotted Finn's vivid head as he was spooning out bowls of stew (that he had probably spent most of the night making). Sure enough, when she grew nearer, she spotted eight vats of the stuff surrounding him and one still on the fire.

"Fearless Finn Haddock!" she hollered as she stormed over. A few people jumped out of the way in her sudden rampage. "Go to bed!"

"What?" Finn looked up from his cooking to meet his mother's equally blue eyes.

"Do I need to drag you out of here in front of all these people?" Astrid continued.

"You can drag out my dead body when that becomes necessary." Finn snarked.

"Finn, I'm serious! You haven't slept in two days and I won't have you getting s-" Astrid began before she was interrupted by a hacking cough. "S-sick." She stubbornly finished.

Mara bounded across the room and yanked open Astrid's mouth. "Oh dear dear dear…" she muttered. "Not another one."

"Another what?" Astrid rasped. "I'm fine."

"For now. You'd better lie down before it gets worse." Mara told her, putting her hands on Astrid's shoulders and trying to steer her to an empty mat.

"Just pour me some milk and I'll be fine!" Astrid insisted.

"She's right." Benen said, standing from the table at which he'd been sitting. "You don't want to be moving around when the sickness hits you hard."

"Benen, what are you doing here?" Astrid asked impatiently. "You can't afford to get sick right now."

"Some things are more important. Such as rest for you." Benen said firmly. "Now please lie down before I sit on you." She couldn't see his smile through the cloth on his mouth but she did see him wink.

"Is she really sick?" Finn asked worriedly. "Mom?"

"If you lie down right now, you will probably be okay. Svala's recovering very well so you have a good chance to beat it but you _need_ to lie down." Mara led Astrid to a mat near Olaf's. "We'll get you some tea and stew."

As Astrid sat down on her mat and leaned against a pillar with an annoyed huff, she took in her surroundings, particularly the Larsons huddled by the next pillar. Olaf still looked pale and weak as Lara patiently dabbed his forehead with a wet cloth. He still had the worst of the effects from the sickness out of everyone. Astrid frowned at the stones underneath her boots, frustrated that she had to get sick while Hiccup and Adrianna were still out getting the ingredients. The village needed her and of _course_ she would typically get sick.

"Here you go, Mrs. Haaaaastrid." Erick slurred as he handed her a cup of hot tea. Astrid smirked. "Sorry… I'm still getting used to it."

"It's all right." She said as she accepted the cup. She stared at her daughter's friend with concern. "You look terrible. Have you slept at all?"

"Yes. Well, here and there." Erick half shrugged. "I have to be doing something or I'll go nuts."

Mara stood on a table and the noise in the Hall lessened. "Can someone here please go out and get some more aloe leaves?"

"I'll go!" Finn leaped up and headed toward the healer.

"Ah ah ah!" Inga rushed over and threw him aside.

"Ow!" Finn grumbled, massaging his ribs. "I've got this, small fry."

"Oh no, you don't. Haddocks always get the glory and the important jobs. Let a Jorgenson handle it." Inga grabbed her Changewing, a pretty female named Mystie, and mounted her.

"Inga Dolores Jorgenson!" Heather bellowed (Finn snickered behind his hand), "Put on your coat and your scarf and your hat right this second before you freeze to death out there."

"Mom, I'll be back in 15 minutes. 20 tops." Inga rolled her eyes but obliged.

As she took off, Finn chortled, "See you soon, Dolly."

"Enjoy your teeth, Finn, because their days are limited." Inga growled before she and her dragon sped out of the Hall.

* * *

"Ice." Adrianna grumbled. "It just had to be ice. Couldn't have needed ingredients in the Tropics."

"Nothing is that easy." Brandyn sniffed dismissively. "Besides, now we have an excuse to cuddle."

"Back away, dorkface, I have a man at home." Adrianna smacked him on the chest.

"Ahh, I could duel him for you." Brandyn laughed. "Seriously though, we have plenty of blankets if you need a little time to warm up after this is over."

"Finally he speaks some sense!" Hiccup exclaimed cheerfully. "So… here?" he added as they arrived at a large body of water.

"This would be the place." Brandyn said, getting out the ice fishing equipment. "We just need to dig a small hole in the ice, stick a fishing rod in there, and pull 'er up!"

"You make it sound so easy." Hiccup said as he ventured forward on the ice. It easily held his weight.

As Hiccup and Brandyn dug into the ice and did their best to create a hole big enough for their fishing rods, Adrianna gazed out over the vast expanse of ocean before her. A movement caught her eye.

"Wait," she called. "I see a few over here!" She made her way over to the area of the ice where the fish were most visible.

"Ahh, Anna I wouldn't do that if I were-" Brandyn began.

"ADDIE WAIT!" Hiccup yelled.

CRACK!

Before she could turn or respond, Adrianna plummeted through the ice, her gasp of surprise sucking freezing water into her lungs as she sank.

* * *

"Stupid Haddocks. Always like 'I got this, I'll take care of it, I'll take all the credit for everything that happens but not for everything that goes wrong!'" Inga grumbled as she flew over the woods. "What kind of name is Haddock, anyway? It's a fish. And Finn's not even a full fish, just a section of it."

She hated the Haddocks. Well, hate was kind of a strong word. Loathed? Despised? Detested? Would rather eat a gallon of eels than speak to? Something like that. The 10-year-old barely noticed her surroundings as she muttered dark things under her breath. A gust of wind knocked Mystie off course and they were nearly blown sideways.

"Woah!" she gasped. "Better be careful, Mystie. Don't want to get lost out here. Daddy would never let me out of the house again."

Snowflakes pelted her as they continued their flight to their destination. The wind began to howl and the Changewing grew increasingly skittish.

"It's okay, girl." Inga patted her dragon affectionately. "We'll be fine."

But the weather seemed to want to dispute that claim. Mystie's wings were slammed backwards by a strong force of wind. Inga looked up just in time to see snow-covered branches coming down on top of them. Her squeal of surprise was drowned out by the heavy wind and she felt her body thrown sideways. The last thing she felt before she blacked out was the sensation of weightlessness. Then there was only darkness.


	11. An Unlikely Hero

"ADDIE!"

As Hiccup ran as fast as he could toward the hole in the ice where his daughter had been standing moments before, every story he'd ever heard about people falling through ice into frozen water flitted into his mind. His heart stopped as he remembered that few of them had a happy ending. He heard several loud cracking noises before his own body fell beneath the water's surface. The world suddenly went silent as it felt like his body was torn apart by the freezing water around him. Everything in his brain told him to curl up to conserve heat but his little girl was far more important. Desperately trying to ignore the stabbing chill around him, he reached out and, after a few kicks of his legs and swings of his arms, he caught his daughter around the middle. He immediately swam upward and felt his hand burst through a tiny sheet of ice at the surface. Brandyn pulled him and Adrianna out of the water as Toothless tried to blow hot air on them without melting the ice beneath them.

"You okay?" Brandyn asked the barely conscious Hooligan chief.

"Ad-d-d-d-die..." Hiccup mumbled groggily as he leaned over his daughter. "C-c-c-come on..."

Brandyn looked at the Haddock girl, who now seemed to be coated in a layer of ice. Her arms were clasped tightly around her chest and her mouth was open but no movements came from her, nothing to indicate that she was still alive.

"B-b-b-breathe..." Hiccup muttered as he blew into her slack jaw and tried to push on her stomach.

Ignoring her freezing father, the teenager crawled over and shoved him out of the way. Hiccup yelled indignantly but stopped as he watched Brandyn use his fingers to pry Adrianna's mouth open a bit further. The teenager then took a deep breath and blew into it. He moved down and applied pressure to her stomach.

"Come on..." he muttered as he moved his way back up to her mouth.

Brandyn repeated the actions a few times, his mind racing as he tried to remember exactly what he'd seen a healer do for a similar patient years ago. Finally, the girl spat out the water that had been in her lungs and lay limp on the ice, her chest rising and falling and her limbs shivering but still very much unconscious.

"She's okay!" Brandyn called to Hiccup. "But we better get her back to the house!"

Syd bounded over and helped Brandyn mount him while also holding the Haddock girl. But Hiccup wasn't about to let his daughter out of his sight. He crawled over and reached out, trying to take her from the boy.

"Woah, hey, you should be headed back. I've got her." Brandyn protested but Hiccup paid him no heed.

"G-g-give her to m-m-me." he said stubbornly (or as stubbornly as a man shivering so hard he stuttered could say _anything_ ).

"Get on your dragon and fly back before you pass out." Brandyn held Adrianna as close to him as he could. "You're soaking wet and freezing to death. You'll just make her colder."

"Now, Brandyn!" Hiccup barked, his glare almost as cold as the water.

"Hiccup-"

"She's _my_ daughter." Hiccup reminded him as he held out his arms. "Mine."

Brandyn growled in annoyance before placing the girl's frigid body into her father's arms. Toothless immediately bounded over and scooped them up before taking off.

If Hiccup though being submerged in freezing water was bad, flying while soaking wet in sub freezing temperatures was the worst. He curled his body over Adrianna's and prayed fervently that she would be okay. How in the world did she always end up in these situations in the first place? It was like trouble followed her everywhere and Hiccup's desperate attempts to protect her were as ineffective as trying to keep a treat away from a Terrible Terror.

Despite the piercing cold biting his exposed skin, he cried out, "Come on bud, faster!"

When they arrived at the village square, several Outcasts emerged from their houses and looked at them in concern. Hiccup ignored them, tumbling off his dragon and walking on his knees as he held his daughter close to his chest.

"Mom!" Brandyn called as he touched down next to them.

Lofn bustled out of the house, took one look at them, and immediately rushed forward to try to help Hiccup up.

"What happened?" she asked her son as she grasped Hiccup's shoulders.

"Anna fell in and he went in after her." Brandyn explained.

They heard Allie the Insincere, who was strolling by, mutter to herself, "Of course she did."

Lofn and Brandyn paid her no heed as they helped the Hooligan chief shakily stand and walk into the warm house. Hiccup finally dropped Adrianna on the couch and grasped the blankets Brandyn had used the previous night, throwing them on her as best he could.

"Hey, slow down there." Brandyn grabbed Hiccup's shoulders. "Sit down, we can handle this."

Hiccup ignored him completely and continued to search for as many articles of clothing and blankets, even pillows, as he could find. He struggled with one blanket in particular, his fingers fumbling and sluggish. He shook his head to focus but felt his body slowing down rapidly. He fell to his knees next to her and touched her cheek with an equally frozen hand, sighing when it appeared to be just as cold as before. Finally forcing the last blanket he could find into the shape he wanted, he wrapped its long ends around Adrianna's head and tucked it under her chin with blue, shaking hands. Only her face could be seen through the bundle surrounding her, but he finally sighed in contentment. Surely she'd be okay with these many layers on and around her. Suddenly exhaustion washed over him and he closed his eyes, slipping out of consciousness with his forehead resting against Adrianna's chin.

* * *

Vidar and Dustin Jorgenson were a force to be reckoned with. All the grownups liked to call them the new Dynamic Duo for Destruction, second only to the Thorston Twins. As a result, they liked to call themselves the DDD. Nothing could stand in their way, not rocks nor trees, not scorching sun nor freezing cold. They were Jorgensons and Vikings through and through, and together they would conquer the world as their father before them-

"OW! Vidar!" Dustin bellowed, shoving his brother into the snow. "Mind your sword, man, you nearly blinded me!"

"Dang it. That would've been cool." Vidar grumbled as he stood back up.

Dustin stepped up to his twin nose to nose. "What was that?"

"You heard me, Dusty!" Vidar straightened, his black hair standing on end from under the rim of his helmet. "If you had one less eye then I'd beat you more often!"

Dustin's face reddened and he clutched his wooden sword in his hand tighter. "I told you not to call me that-"

"Hey, what's that on your helmet?" Vidar narrowed his eyes and swiped his fingers along the rims of his twin's helmet. He inspected his fingers and then harrumphed, "Oh, of course, silly me… It's just a little… _d_ _usty._ "

"That's IT! This means WAR!" Dustin raised his sword arm high over his head and cried, "AHHHHHH-"

"AHHHHHHHH!" Vidar met his sword midair, both screaming horrid war cries that made the Terrible Terrors fly for cover.

Sweat poured, eyes blazed, feet shuffled and wooden swords clashed. Snow flurried around the 8-year-olds' ankles as they slashed and thrust. The sounds of their epic battle rattled off the walls of their neighbors' houses and carried into the nearby square.

A fierce battle it was, the victor sure to obtain the wondrous riches of his superior execution of battle skills. Surrender was unacceptable; defeat was inevitable for one. Only one could prove himself victorious at the bitter end of such a gruesome battle.

At last, Vidar smacked the edge of his sword on Dustin's hand. The boy dropped his sword with a yelp and Vidar slid his blade onto his neck. "At last: victory!" Vidar crowed in triumph, grinning as wolfishly as his father. "Any last words, peasant?"

Dustin sneered. "I've nothing to say to you, fiend. Except that you are a worthless pig whose scum is not worthy on the sole of my shoe than in my sight."

"Kiss my boot." Vidar pressed the blade tighter against Dustin's neck.

Dustin closed his eyes reverently. "I would rather die."

"Ahh but such a waste to spill the blood of mine enemy so mercifully!" Vidar cried, mournful hand resting against his chest. Then he shrugged. "Oh well. DIE!"

"DAHHHHHH…" Dustin fell to his side in the snow, feigning death. His mortal enemy—his brother—stood before him, nodding in pride with a high chin.

"Taste the defeat! I am the ruler of all of the archipelago! And NOTHING can stand in my way! MUAHAHAHAHAHA!" Vidar shouted to the rooftops, reveling in his supreme… well, his _supremeness_.

Dustin suddenly sat up from the snow with a raised eyebrow. "Well that's obnoxious."

Vidar scowled. "You're supposed to be dead."

"I don't want to be dead. What if I choose myself to live forever?"

"You can't do that!"

"I just did! I am the forever living Viking! You cannot kill me! Taste the defeat now, your worship!"

"Oh I'm going to tear you to pieces-"

A sharp whimper cut through the young boy's play. They twisted around to see a Changewing limping through an alleyway toward them, whimpering all the way with her wings kept close to her body.

"Mystie?" Dustin was the first to reach her, scratching her jaw. The dragon panted heavily as if she'd traveled far. The boys scratched her jaw in confusion until she reared her head in agitation.

"Whoa, hey girl, what's the matter?" Vidar asked.

Mystie growled a complaint and turned toward the alley from which she'd come. When she turned, her right flank was exposed to reveal the jagged, nearly foot long laceration. Blood dripped from the wound freely and stained the snow in a long red trail from whence she'd come.

"Oh no! Her leg!" Dustin cried. Blood wasn't supposed to be so gruesome. It wasn't in their imaginations anyway. Then the strange twist in her left wing caught his eye and he petted her front leg sadly, "And her wing is twisted… poor girl."

Vidar nodded. "Dad will have to wrap her leg up. And maybe Chief Astrid will help with her wing. But where's Inga? It's her dragon."

Mystie huffed at the boys impatiently, annoyed that they were focused on her leg and not at where she was looking. The boys continued to talk to each other, completely ignoring what she so dearly wanted to say. Finally the dragon reared up and roared at the boys. The sound startled them so they fell back onto their bottoms in the snow, staring up at the Changewing with gobsmacked expressions.

Vidar frowned. "I think she's trying to tell us something." Mystie huffed in annoyance again.

Dustin snickered. "You think?" Mystie interrupted their goofing off once more and pulled Dustin to his feet by his coat. "Hey, put me down! Mystie!" The dragon plopped him down on the saddle strapped to her back, and finally he took note of its condition. Not only was Mystie injured, but her saddle was also torn to shreds! The new leather looked as though it'd been through years of wear, tear and bad weather…

Mystie groaned in pain as she twisted around and ran through the village with Dustin still on her back. He shouted for her to stop while Vidar chased them, trying to catch up. Mystie finally skidded to a stop at the edge of the village, facing the wintery woods and misty mountains beyond. Mystie whined pitifully and stared at the boys pleadingly.

"Vidar…" Dustin looked at his brother with wide eyes.

Vidar nodded with equally fearful eyes. "Mystie… where's Inga?"

Mystie crooned sadly and stared out into the forest. The boys' hearts stopped and it only took them a second to make a simultaneous decision. They had to find their father.

Dustin slid off of Mystie's saddle and took off after Vidar toward the Great Hall. Mystie roared after them in a hurrying tone and sat in the snow where she was. The boys were thankful that they only had to scale one small hill and the stone steps to reach the Hall… but they were icy. It was nearly a full ten minutes before they finally threw the door open, dodging the guards trying to grab them and keep them outside.

Vidar shoved his way through the heavy doors and nearly slid to a stop at the ravaging sickness all around him. Dustin grabbed his sleeve and yanked him further in, dodging women hurrying around, ignoring people's coughing and overall sickly expressions.

"DAD!" Dustin called as loud as he could. Many heads turned their way but they didn't stop running. "DAD! MOM!"

"Hey now!" Two large meaty hands descended and grabbed them by the back of their collars. They struggled from their hanging positions, but froze when the slightly haggard but definitely annoyed eyes of their grandfather loomed in front of them. "What in the blazes are you two doing in here?" Spitelout scolded. "Do you two want to get sick?"

"We need to find our dad-" Dustin began.

Spitelout scowled. "No excuses! This is no place for playing games!"

Vidar struggled again as his grandfather began to shove them towards the doors. "It's no game, grandpa, honest!"

"What will your sick friends think when they see you flaunting your good health-"

"Grandpa, this is serious!"

"Not another word, now out with you-"

A firm hand on Spitelout's shoulder stopped him in his tracks and Snotlout stood before them with an equally stern expression. "What did your mother and I tell you boys?"

Dustin sighed, "Dad, we-"

"I don't want you to get sick."

"Dad, it's not about us!" Vidar argued. "It's about-"

"I'd like my boys to survive until their tenth birthday if that's all right with you. We need good strong Jorgensons to carry on the line and we won't have either of you falling to the sickness." Snotlout interrupted each of the boy's attempts with a scowl.

"But-" The boys tried impatiently, then sighed happily when Heather joined the group by the door.

"What's going on?"

"Mom! We-"

"Why in all of _Asgard_ are you two in here?"

Vidar sighed heavily, "Well if you'd just listen we might tell-"

"Don't talk back to your mother!" Snotlout warned, crossing his arms.

Spitelout shook his head. "Children these days. Back in my day-"

"Yes, dad, we've heard this a thousand times about how our parenting skills are so meager in comparison to your father's. But hey, the bad had to start somewhere." Snotlout patted his father's arm. "Great work!"

Heather rolled her eyes impatiently. "Odin grant me patience… boys, you need to leave. Right now."

"Mom seriously, we have to tell you something!" Dustin yelled.

"Out now, boys!" Heather turned to Snotlout questioningly as she nearly shoved them toward the door, "Is Inga back yet?"

The boys nearly tore out their hair. They both whirled around, faces turning red in anger at the adults. "That's what we've been TRYING to tell you!" Dustin shouted.

For a moment the adults stared at them in confusion before Vidar continued, "Mystie came to us by the house and she has a big cut on her leg-"

"Yeah, and she took us to the edge of the forest and kept whining real sad!" Dustin finished.

The adults were quiet until Heather gently said, "Boys, tell us the truth."

The twins frowned. "We are!"

"She's still out there, I swear!"

"Yeah, I'd gladly sacrifice my right eye if that would prove anything!" Vidar straightened and Dustin raised an eyebrow at him quizzically.

Heather scowled. "No one is sacrificing their anything for such a silly-"

"Heather," Snotlout interrupted softly. Heather looked at him and he continued, "They wouldn't make something like this up. And she was supposed to be back half an hour ago." Her husband suddenly turned on his heel and ran into the Hall.

"Snotlout!" Heather ran after him, but whirled around to order her father-in-law to 'keep them _right_ there.' By the time she'd caught up to her husband he was already tying blankets to Hookfang's saddle. "Snotlout, what are you doing?"

"I'm going to find her." he muttered distractedly.

Heather smiled steadily at a few people looking their way. She didn't want to worry anyone, but she had to ask, "You don't actually think-"

"I don't know Heather, but I won't lose my baby to the ice." Snotlout kissed his wife chastely before jumping into his saddle. A hand on his leg stopped him and he looked down in confusion to see Gustav Larson standing there. "What? Kind of in a rush."

"I know. Do you want a second hand? Or third and fourth eye?"

Snotlout narrowed his eyes at the young man, glancing at his family sitting on their pallets nearby. "Shouldn't you stay with your family?"

"They're already on the mend. You need the help and I'm getting cabin fever in here." Gustav glanced over to the pillar nearby, "And my father…"

Snotlout sighed impatiently. "I'm leaving in thirty seconds with or without you."

"Fanghook's already saddled. Let's go." Gustav jogged to his Monstrous Nightmare and saddled up. He must have been heading outside anyway when he'd overheard Snotlout and Heather.

Snotlout looked down at Heather and said strongly, "I'll find her."

"I know." Heather nodded and stepped back for Hookfang to take off. "Be safe!"

"Safety's overrated." Snotlout called before he disappeared.

The Great Hall doors quickly closed behind them and they were hit with a vast difference in temperature. Snotlout and Gustav dove toward the edge of the village in search of Inga's Changewing. She soon came into view, watching as they landed beside her. Snotlout leaped down and quickly examined her.

"I think her wing is only sprained. Do me a favor and take her back to my barn."

"But how will you find Inga alone? You don't even know where she is!" Gustav cried as he and Hookfang rose into the air once more.

"I'll find her!"

"How?!"

"Simple: follow the trail of blood!" Snotlout didn't wait for Gustav's reaction. The young man was probably kicking himself for not thinking of that himself, but as Hookfang flew across the icy plains, he understood. The Larson family was under a lot of stress right now.

Snotlout and Hookfang followed the trail of blood until it began to fade in the snow, nearly a mile from the village. The father muttered to himself all the while, begging the gods to spare his child. Only white surrounded him aside from his red and orange dragon beneath him. When the blood trail became too faded to make out, he wanted to scream in frustration.

Hookfang suddenly lurched forward with a roar. Snotlout didn't question his dragon's instincts as he dove toward the ground. There, on the other side of a fallen tree, lying still next to a large boulder was his only daughter.

"Ahh no no no no no…" Snotlout cried as he jumped out of his saddle, nearly twisting his knee on the harsh landing. He cleared the fallen tree, scratching his arms and face on sharp branches, and scrambled the rest of the way to his daughter, sliding to his knees beside her. "Inga!" He gently picked her up and cradled her to his chest, checking her pulse and mouth for breathing. "Inga, come on baby, give me something. Inga!" he cried desperately, brushing his big hands across her pale, icy face.

Ripping off his black bearskin cloak, he wrapped it around her small body and carried her as carefully as he could to Hookfang. The Nightmare stretched as far as he could to reach them so Snotlout would have fewer troubles to worry about climbing through the debris. Snotlout climbed into the saddle, still clutching Inga to his chest as Hookfang took off.

"Come on, sweetheart, anything, give me _anything_ to show you're okay. Please, daddy's here, I've got you, you just have to say something." Snotlout begged into her ear. Inga remained silent and she only seemed to grow colder in his arms. He growled angrily, "Hookfang, faster!"

Hookfang snapped his wings harder against the wind, propelling them through the air faster. His master and friend's young was in danger: he couldn't keep her out the cold a moment longer. The Monstrous Nightmare ignited his skin as gently as he could; at first Snotlout grew irritable but then nodded in thanks at the idea. The gentle heat of the dragon's skin began to warm the bearskin cloak that Inga was wrapped up in.

Inga remained unresponsive even as they landed in front of the Great Hall. Snotlout jumped off Hookfang's back and kicked the massive doors open. "MARA! I NEED YOU NOW!" his voice bellowed into the Hall, making people cower.

Ignoring the gasps of his (thankfully masked) sons and Spitelout sitting nearby, Snotlout ran directly to a fire and began to rub Inga's arms and legs to warm them up. He turned to yell for Mara again when she appeared at his side, her hands ghosting Inga's neck and face. Heather sat beside him with a gasp, her hands covering her mouth.

Mara had been silent too long. "Is she okay?" Snotlout asked tersely.

The healer nodded gently. "I think you found her just in time. If it weren't for that coat and those gloves you made her wear, Heather, then she may not be as lucky. Bring her here." Snotlout held his daughter close as Mara worked her magic, stripping the girl of her coat, boots and socks and packing her in with loads of blankets, then surrounding her with iron pots of steaming liquid. Spitelout nodded in satisfaction, boasting that a good healer knew what to do in hard times such as these.

But Snotlout ignored such optimistic responses. He tuned out all the surrounding noise of the Hall, ignored Mara fussing about his slightly swelling knee, kept one ear on Heather's quiet talk with their twins about their sister's condition. Instead of focusing completely on these things, he put all his energy and focus onto the still icy cold face of his daughter. Still cold, still quiet… _too_ quiet.

Rage burned in his soul and it was all he could do to hold her gently. She'd only wanted to help her people. Of course she had to get punished for it. She hadn't deserved this… but underneath the anger he felt, Snotlout could only feel a petrifying fear gnawing in his gut.

An ice cold fear that meant his baby would never wake again.

* * *

By the time Hiccup and Adrianna awoke, it was a few hours later and they were both bundled up and lying by the fire. Neither of them could remember what had happened very clearly but they were slightly suspicious of the fact that they'd mysteriously changed clothes and were wrapped so tightly, they could barely move.

"Ahh, you're awake!" Lofn said cheerfully from across the room. "About time! We were starting to wonder if we'd lost you."

"Mmmmf..." Adrianna groaned, not enjoying the noises that were taking her out of her blissful slumber.

"Yeah, you guys almost died! Why do I get the feeling this wasn't the first time?" Brandyn asked, helping Hiccup out of his blanketed confines.

"We're Haddocks. A day without a near-death experience is a boring day." Hiccup quipped as he slowly sat up, arcing his back as he stretched.

"Huh... I guess today is just an average one for you then." Brandyn put a cup of tea in Hiccup's hands. "Your voice sounds terrible."

"Thank you. I get that a lot." Hiccup deadpanned.

"I mean you're really hoarse." Brandyn rolled his eyes. "You feeling okay?"

"Ahh, nothing a cup of tea won't clear up." Hiccup took a big sip and sighed contentedly. "Yep, that's all I needed."

Lofn, however, wasn't convinced. She hurried across the room and yanked Hiccup's mouth open. Adrianna giggled at the look of irritation on her father's face at having his mouth peered into without his consent yet again.

"Dah I hah oss om my oat?" Hiccup asked with his mouth open.

"What?" Lofn raised an eyebrow as she finally let Hiccup's jaw go.

"I said do I have spots on my throat?" Hiccup repeated.

"Oh. No but it's pretty red. Probably just a cold but that's what you get when you dive into freezing water." Lofn sighed and went back to her sewing.

"But the good news is that you've got the fish you need so as soon as you're up for it, you can be on your way." Brandyn added.

"We got the fish? But we went back to the house before we could do any real ice-fishing." Hiccup raised an eyebrow at a suddenly grinning Adrianna.

"Well _someone_ took the mission a tiny bit too far." Brandyn nudged the girl on the shoulder. "But we're glad you did."

"Though it wasn't easy to pry the fish out of your frozen arms." Lofn added as she handed Adrianna a cup of hot tea.

"You didn't have to do that, Addie. Swimming to the surface would have been safer." Hiccup narrowed his eyes at his daughter, who stuck her tongue out at him.

"Well I didn't want to have to go back out again." Adrianna winked at him. "Plus I figured as long as I was down there, I might as well."

They all laughed at this, quite relieved that no harm seemed to have been done. Even the dragons laughed along, relieved that their humans would be okay after all. Toothless bounded forward and dragged his large, pink tongue from Hiccup's chest to his face.

"Gah!" Hiccup sputtered. "My mouth was open!"

Toothless let out a guffaw and licked his human again. Hiccup made a face as he tried to push the Night Fury away but the dragon was having none of it. If Hiccup was going to go and do something stupid like almost die, he might as well tolerate the dragon's relieved licking. It was the least he could do.

"You know Toothless," Hiccup said, grimacing at his dragon, "nothing against you, I'm sure you're a handsome beast in the dragon kingdom, but I don't much enjoy French kissing you."

As Brandyn and Lofn laughed, Adrianna's eyes widened. " _That's_ French kissing?"

"Yeah. Well sort of. Tongues are involved but not usually dragon tongues." Hiccup explained as nonchalantly as he could with a reptile the size of a yak ambushing him. "What did you think it was?"

Adrianna's face grew hot. "I thought it was kissing under a rainbow." she admitted, averting the gazes of everyone in the room.

"You are _so_ adorable!" Brandyn chortled. "Haven't had the big talk, have you?"

"Oh trust me, she's had the talk. We made sure of it." Hiccup assured the boy. "Although I suppose my wife wasn't as thorough as perhaps she should have been."

"I'll say." Brandyn shook his head and turned back to Adrianna. "I'm sure you have a lot to learn. Maybe I'll teach you one day." he winked at her and she rolled her eyes.

"Maybe but I'll stick with the guy at home for now." Adrianna replied. "Besides, you could have your pick of the ladies here."

Brandyn grimaced. "Outcast girls. No thank you."

"Oh, so Addie's only attractive by default then?" Hiccup narrowed his eyes at the boy.

"You're the one who didn't want me to be attracted to her." Brandyn shrugged.

"Yeah but she's got some gorgeous genes, as you can see." Hiccup ruffled his own hair.

"Pointing out that your daughter looks like you, a man which, as you may remember, I am not attracted to, is not helping." Brandyn rolled his eyes. "But you guys seem to be fine so don't waste any more time here on our account."

"Well..." Hiccup looked at Toothless and Lily; both of whom seemed quite comfortable and satisfied. "I guess we could get going if you're feeling up to it, Addie."

Adrianna stretched and took another sip of tea. "I think I'm okay. Ready to get this over with."

"Me too." Hiccup agreed.

Both Brandyn and Lofn helped the two pack up the dragons and insisted on giving them food and a few more blankets. Hiccup and Adrianna walked out into the bitter cold, thankful that it wasn't snowing.

"Thank you so much for your hospitality." Hiccup said as he mounted his dragon. "You guys are amazing."

"It was nothing, really. You were wonderful. You should come back again." Lofn offered with a warm smile.

"Or I might come to Berk." Brandyn winked at Adrianna. "You know, if I decide Outcast Island isn't the place for me anymore."

"That'd be cool. I'm sure we could find a place for you." Hiccup shook the teenager's hand. "Our village would be lucky to have someone like you."

"Oh I'm not so sure." Brandyn said, giving Hiccup's hand a final, firm shake before letting go. "Maybe I'll be the lucky one. I mean I'll get to spend a little time with Anna here at the very least."

"Sure you will." Adrianna rolled her eyes but her amused expression still shone through. "It was nice to meet you though."

"The pleasure was all mine." Brandyn kissed her hand, making her giggle. "Erick's a lucky guy."

"That he is." Hiccup said through his teeth, casting a sideways glance at his daughter. "But we should go. Come on, Addie."

And with that, the two dragons ascended into the sky, headed to an island neither the Night Fury nor his rider ever thought they'd visit once more. But, for some reason, Adrianna was excited. One last ingredient to get before the stop to Healer's Island. And they wouldn't need that last one anyway. Because surely no one would be _that_ far gone. Her heart thudded as she thought about it and she focused her attention on other, more pleasant things. Things that had nothing to do with the most terrifying experience of her life.


	12. Blackout

The flight to Maero was long and exhausting. Neither Hiccup nor Adrianna spoke on the flight there, Hiccup because he was too busy stewing in his hatred for the place and Adrianna because she had too much on her mind. By the time they got there, it was after dark so they decided to set up camp and get an early start on finding the berries they needed the next morning. After they set up the tent, they became very thankful for the extra blankets Lofn and Brandyn had given them because they contributed to making the inside of the tent very warm and comfortable.

"Feeling okay?" Hiccup asked as he settled into the piles of pillows and blankets that served as a sort of mattress.

"I feel fine. But you're still hoarse." Adrianna sighed. "Let me make some tea."

"You don't have to do that." Hiccup protested but his daughter held up a hand.

"I don't want you getting sick. Even if it's just a cold, you'll get _me_ sick and we'll spread it all over Berk right after the outbreak. Best to nip it in the bud." Adrianna said as she placed a kettle on the ground.

Toothless quickly heated the kettle (made of metal that wouldn't melt and taint the tea; this was the result of a lesson Hiccup had unfortunately learned the hard way) and Adrianna soon poured the tea into a cup and added the herbs. Hiccup and Adrianna were silent for a moment as she did her best to make tea the way her mother had showed her so many times. But she never was very good at paying attention to detail, which was something that drove her mother and brother crazy at times.

Hiccup took a sip of the tea and nearly spat it out. "I think you forgot something." he choked out.

"What?"

"Honey." Hiccup grabbed a container of the stuff and added copious amounts to the brew. "You made it a bit strong, Addie, but sweetening it shouldn't be too hard."

"Sorry." Adrianna looked slightly sheepish.

"It's fine. I once nearly killed your Poppy because I wasn't paying attention and made tea with medicinal herbs." Hiccup laughed at the memory. "He was pretty ticked. It didn't help that I made it way too strong."

Adrianna smiled. Hiccup suddenly sat up and patted the front of his shirt. He withdrew a small and very old book, which he then handed to his daughter.

"What's this?"

"I found it in the records building at the Bogs. Camicazi claims one of her people stole it from the Meathead Public Library but she sold it to me anyway." he grinned. "I've been dying to read it but I wanted to read it with you."

"How to Train Your Dragon." Adrianna read. "You mean people have been training dragons before?"

"It seems so. The book is really old too. Maybe they trained dragons hundreds of years ago! Hmm, I wonder how the war started if that was the case." Hiccup looked thoughtful for a moment before impatiently waving his hands at the book. "Open it, I want to know what it says!"

"Okay, dad!" Adrianna chuckled as she opened the book. "There's a whole page dedicated to reviews of this book. Success stories. Wow, this must be really good advice!"

"I know! I did see the review page but I forced myself to wait. But the time is now!" Hiccup leaned forward as Adrianna turned the page.

The girl stared at the first page of the book. Slowly, she raised an eyebrow and stared at the back cover, almost like she was trying to find more of it. After a few seconds, Hiccup's curiosity could no longer be contained.

"What does it say?"

Adrianna looked up at him with an expression of pure bewilderment. "Yell at it."

"And?"

The girl handed the book to her father. "That's it."

Hiccup stared at the page containing those three words for several seconds before rolling his eyes tossing the book aside. "Well _that_ was informative." he deadpanned.

"Not much of a bedtime story." Adrianna giggled. "Though it's nice to know we've come a long way since then."

"Yep." Hiccup rubbed his dragon's chin as he snuggled into the pillows and blankets once more. "It really is."

* * *

"Finn, for the last time, would you please go rest with your mother?"

Finn continued on his sluggish path through the Great Hall, moving in the opposite direction of his mother's cot and towards Mara and some other women helping. Benen was at his heels _again_ , demanding that he rest. But how could he rest? There were countless dozens of people still sick. Mara needed all the help she could get, and while his mom was still down for the count, he wouldn't rest. His father trusted him to do what was necessary, his mother and the village depended on him. Then Mara putting her focus on Inga for some time that afternoon, it put things behind on her attempts at a cure, food preparation, and warmth.

Glancing at the morose Jorgenson family as he walked by, Finn ran a hand through his hair, trying his best not to stress out. As much as he dearly loved Benen, he couldn't stand it when he was nagged about something that he so very clearly did _not_ want to do.

Benen, for the last time," Finn finally faced him with raised eyebrows, "I'm not resting! There's too much to do! And even if I wanted to, I wouldn't be able to get back up the next morning, and something tells me I can't trust you to wake me up if I asked."

"Too right I wouldn't!" Benen nodded with crossed arms. "You've been going non-stop with less than ten hours of sleep for the past two days, almost three! You _have_ to rest, Finn! You're too young to be hurting yourself due to exhaustion."

"Benen, I'm fine!"

"You don't sound fine and you don't look fine." Benen argued sternly. "You're white as a sheet. You're dragging your feet. You're moving slower than I think I ever remember seeing. You _need_ to sleep!"

"URGHHHHHH!" Finn growled, turning on his heel to leave.

A few heads glanced their way and Finn stared at his boots in agitation. He knew he was exhausted and probably looked like a ghost, but he _couldn't_ stop. He couldn't stand the idea of taking care of himself when so many were hurting.

A shoulder rammed into his and he jerked. "Hey, watch it!" a voice growled and Finn looked up to see Cale matching past with a few cups. The tall, dark haired boy glared at him with the ferocity of a Monstrous Nightmare as he slid the cups across a nearby table to a few sniffing friends.

Finn winced. "Sorry. Wasn't paying attention-"

"Yeah, we know." Cale rolled his eyes, completely ignoring Benen standing at Finn's side. "Stop trying to be a hero, Haddock. WE all know you can't do anything for us."

Finn clenched his jaw for a moment before replying. "I'm doing the best I can to help."

"Help? Help with what?" Cale growled. "You don't have the cure and you don't have the means necessary to save all of these people! So what exactly are you trying to prove?"

Benen held out a hand toward Cale. "Hey now, calm down-"

Finn interrupted, more distressed than angry. "I'm not trying to _prove_ anything, Cale! I have a job to do! My parents asked me to help and I'm just trying to do what I can."

Snotlout finally glanced at the group with an agitated look. "Would you two shut up?"

Cale turned a smirk over his shoulder. "Sorry but I don't answer to you."

Snotlout turned a shade of puce and seemed to internally debate between staying by his still unconscious daughter's side and knocking the young man's lights out. He opted to stay with Inga and Heather, who stood and walked to her younger brother.

"Cale, please stop." Heather gently said. "This isn't helping anything."

"Yeah, that's the thing, Heather. Nothing _anyone_ is doing is helping anything!" Cale nearly shouted. "While the chief is off parading across the islands, our people are just getting sicker!"

"Yes, _our_ people!" Snotlout finally stood and marched up to the boy in full view of everyone in the Hall. "Since when are you so concerned with the people in this village, Cale? No, you don't care about anyone here besides yourself!"

Cale sneered and leaned in close to Snotlout's face. "I'm not afraid of you, old man."

"Oh, that doesn't make much of a difference to me." Snotlout growled back and Finn took a protective step closer to Benen in case a fight should break out. "You don't have to be afraid of me when I put you in your place."

"No, don't! Please!" Heather pleaded, shoving herself between them and pushing Snotlout backwards. "Get back to- Inga!"

Snotlout whipped around to look at his daughter and Finn got a full view. He'd never forget the way her limbs shook and her eyes flickered open and closed, rolling back and forth as her body began to convulse at a frightening pace.

Heather gasped in fear and Snotlout lunged toward her, but Benen suddenly leaped forward and grabbed him, holding him back. "No, no, no! Don't touch her!"

Snotlout tore against his hands but the old man wouldn't be swayed. "Let go! Something's wrong! I have to hold her-"

"No, Snotlout! You can't hold her! It'll get worse!" Out of the corner of his eye, Finn could hear Benen fight and nearly beg Snotlout to stay put. But he couldn't tear his eyes from Inga's shaking form. Mara appeared at Inga's side and Benen shouted at her to leave the girl alone. "Mara, trust me, I've seen this before. You can't touch her-"

"Are you sure, Benen?" Mara asked tersely, watching in horror as Inga's mouth began to froth.

Snotlout yanked desperately against Benen's arms and nearly broke free, but Spitelout grabbing his arm made him stop. "Let me go! She needs me!"

"Yes." Benen nodded, still holding Snotlout's arm. "Holding them makes it worse."

Without warning, Inga stopped shaking. Her body relaxed against her mat with a sheen of sweat on her brow and her hair mussed against the pillow. Snotlout yanked away from Benen and Spitelout and instantly picked her up, Mara watching closely. Snotlout used his sleeve to wipe around his daughter's mouth and quickly checked for breathing. Heather sat down beside him and patted Inga's hair with shaking fingers.

Snotlout pressed his face against Inga's brow and quietly asked, "Is she going to die?"

Mara stared at them sadly and whispered, "I don't know."

Snotlout closed his eyes and tears slipped down his face as he pulled Inga fully onto his lap. Heather pressed her lips to the girl's temple, her own tears dripping onto her daughter's slack face. Mara quietly stood and waved everyone away. From the corner of her eye, she could see Astrid trying to pull herself out of the massive stack of blankets surrounding her, but couldn't stir up the energy. Without another word, the healer hurried over.

Benen sighed quietly and turned to Finn. Cale had disappeared but Finn still stood where he had bee, face blank and eyes staring at Inga's mat blankly.

"Finn?" The Haddock boy noticeably shook and blinked, his eyes searching until he found Benen. His elderly friend took a concerned step toward him. "Are you all right?"

"Y-yeah, I-I umm..." Finn swallowed, wiping his palms on his tunic, eyes darting everywhere.

Benen could see the hair at Finn's nape getting darker as his face began to flush. He reached out and grabbed the teenager's arm. "Finn-"

"I..." Finn panted. "I-I need air."

Benen nodded quickly. "All right then." Not removing his hand from Finn's arm, Benen led him to the stone steps outside and sat him down. "Don't move; I'm going to get you some water." Finn nodded without argument.

As he poured a mug of water from a basin inside the Hall, Benen turned when someone tapped his shoulder. Fishlegs stood there looking tired but alive. He cocked his head toward the door and asked, "Is Finn okay?"

Benen sighed, glass in hand. "In general or after... that?"

"Well... both."

"He needs to sleep. He needs a hot meal. But he won't listen to me."

Fishlegs snorted. "Finn, not listen to you? Is it Ragnarok?"

"I'm serious, Fishlegs. He won't... ah." Benen sighed again. "As for right now, I think that little... episode with Inga just frightened him."

Fishlegs nodded, wishing to ask more questions but not wishing delay him. "Well he probably needs that water then."

Benen nodded his thanks and hurried outside. Finn still sat leaned against a pillar where he'd been left taking deep breaths of air. He accepted the cup with a shaky hand and Benen smiled. "Slowly."

Finn nodded and touched the cup to his lips, shocked at how much he was shaking. Setting the cup down with a sigh, he stared at Benen. "What was that?"

"Hmm, I believe it was water-"

"Benen..."

"All right, all right." Benen wiped off his smirked and sighed. He watched Finn take another careful sip and replied, "When I was in my thirties, I was owned by a family with children. They weren't as brutal as Ratri but they were still slave owners. But one of the boys, he..." Benen paused. "I believe he got a fever when he was a few months old. And though he lived through it, he had these... episodes ever since."

Finn glanced back toward the Hall behind them. "Episodes... like that?"

"Yes. I only saw it happen a few times but when I did, he'd been having them for quite a while. He was nearly four the first time I saw it. And everyone around him backed away and said, 'don't touch him.' I quietly asked if he needed anything and they said, ;no, best to leave him til it passes.' Within a minute, it passed. He was up and running again within the hour."

"So... she'll be okay?" Finn asked.

"I don't know, Finn." Benen frowned. "I suspect it isn't the same for everyone it happens to."

"Do you think it happens a lot out there in the world?"

"It might. I imagine so."

Finn managed to take a longer drink of water this time and was pleased to see the shake in his hands lessening. "What do you think caused it? Maybe she was getting a fever?"

"Benen winced. "Snotlout believes she hit her head pretty hard. Brain injury, perhaps."

Finn nibbled his lip nervously. "Do you think... I-I mean she'll be okay, right? Like that boy you knew?"

Benen smiled sadly and met Finn's eyes. "I don't know, Finn. I pray so."

Finn nodded and drained his cup. He looked out toward the dark ocean beyond the village and then glanced up at the stars twinkling above them. He didn't have to look to know Benen was doing the same.

Finn spoke up after several quiet minutes. "Do you think my dad will bring back the cure?"

"Oh yes." Finn could hear his friend's smile. "I have no doubts."

"When?"

"When he has all the ingredients."

"Well I could've figured out that part, Benen. But thank you for that.?" Benen chuckled and pushed Finn's shoulder. The boy cracked a smile but didn't push back.

"Oh." Benen smiled wider and reached into his shirt pocket. "I made you something."

Finn watched him pull out a long, dark twine cord with a small block on the end. In the darkness, it was hard to see when Benen plopped it in his hand but he raised the block to the dim firelight behind him. It was a block of cedar, only two inches long and a quarter inch thick. But on it was scrawled the word on which their relationship had been built six and a half years ago.

Fortis.

Finn smiled and looked up at Benen gratefully. "I'll never take it off." he pulled it over his head and smiled when he felt it thunk against his chest below his shirt.

Benen chuckled. "I would hope not. If you're going to keep running around like a dead man, then you will need the extra strength."

"And who better to bestow it upon me?" Finn asked with a grin.

Benen snorted. "Cheeky boy!" He stood slowly and stifled a yawn. "Well I don't know about you, but I would like to speak to your mother before heading to bed."

Finn waved him toward the door. "I think I'm going to stay out here for a few minutes."

"All right."

Long after Benen left, Finn found himself staring out at the ocean again. His fingers found the necklace and trailed down until he touched the block. He traced the letters with his fingertip and sighed heavily.

"Hurry, dad." he whispered. "We need you home."

SNAP!

Finn jerked awake and blinked in the pre-dawn light. Wisps of smoke rolled to the sky from the distant chimneys of the village and Terrible Terrors could be seen flocking toward the ocean for their morning feeding time. He rolled his eyes with a mental sigh that he'd fallen asleep, determined as he'd been, but smiled at the wool blanket draped over him.

Fog stretched out over the forest and Finn caught sight of a deer grazing a hundred yards away. If he weren't so exhausted, he might go find his bow and go after it. The people probably wouldn't mind something different in their stew.

A soft rapping of knuckles on his head distracted him and he looked up to see a smiling Helga. "Good morning, sleepyhead."

Finn stirred from under his blanket to let her sit beside him. "Morning." he frowned and cleared his groggy throat.

"Did you sleep out here all night?" Helga asked with a wild grin.

"Didn't mean to." Finn snorted, rubbing his eyes. "Didn't mean to sleep at all.

"You're going to kill yourself."

"Thanks, Benen."

Helga laughed. "Please, if I were as wise as I was wild, we'd all be doomed."

"I'd drink to that." Finn smirked. "Only problem is that I am currently lacking a drink."

"And you don't drink, bozo."

"Who says?"

Helga's eyebrows disappeared into her hairline and Finn laughed out loud. "Wow, Finn, I knew you were adventurous but wow."

"Kidding, kidding. Geez, my dad would kill me. Closest I got was wine and that was purely accidental... and disgusting."

"Psh, only you, Fearless Finn."

Finn rolled his eyes. "Only you, Bones."

Helga grinned at her dubbed nickname. She fingered the bone necklace around her neck fondly and grinned when she saw the cord around his neck. "What's that?"

"Oh," Finn showed her the necklace. "Benen gave it to me last night."

Helga ran a finger across the cool, smooth surface. It was a pale gold in the morning light. "That's cool. He's so cool."

"You have no idea."

Helga sighed heavily, laying back against the cobblestone with her eyes skyward. Finn forced himself to look forward instead of down at her shapely, womanly form. He shook his head to clear it, hoping she hadn't noticed.

"You're so obvious, you know that?"

"About..." Finn asked, but blushed madly at the wolfish grin she definitely inherited from her mother. "Gods..." he muttered when she cackled madly (another motherly trait she'd received). Shaking his head, Finn thought of something to change the subject. "Do you want to go hunting? I saw some deer earlier."

"I thought you'd never ask."

* * *

Hiccup and Adrianna didn't enjoy waking up early but with the amount of sleep they had gotten in the previous day and night, it wasn't as difficult as usual. When they packed up and got moving, Adrianna looked around.

"It's warmer." she said after a few minutes. "I guess we flew south?"

"We did, yes. Last time I was here, it was the middle of summer and parts of it were sweltering." Hiccup peered around them with narrowed eyes.

Adrianna furrowed her brow. "It's actually kind of nice. I was expecting... I don't know what I was expecting."

"A rocky, gods-forsaken heap?" Hiccup suggested. "That's probably how we made it sound."

"Sort of, yeah." Adrianna shrugged. "But it's not. I guess with all I'd heard about it, I should have known that."

"Slave labor, Addie." Hiccup gently placed a hand on her shoulder. "That's why it looks so nice. But the people here are anything but."

Adrianna shivered at the thought of kind of people who would _buy_ other people, treat them as _property_ instead of fellow human beings. She thought of Benen's life here, probably walking the same paths they walked now and forced to contribute to the island's deceptive beauty. How could anyone treat someone as kind and sweet as him so brutally, so disrespectfully? Even though Finn drove her nuts a lot of the time, she still couldn't imagine someone _beating_ a child as young as he was back then. Physical punishments had been incredibly rare in the Haddock household when she and Finn were children, reserved only for the very worst and most dangerous behaviors, but beating someone for not cleaning the floor fast enough? Or for getting the wrong items at the store? Or simply for being too weak to do some of the work, as Benen had been toward the end? It was enough to make her sick.

"Why don't you try to stop it?" she asked her father after a few minutes. "You stopped the dragon war."

"That was different." Hiccup sighed deeply. "I stopped my people and the people around us from killing thousands of peaceful dragons. But I can't stop people from all over the world who still do. In this case, slave handlers and people who buy slaves know that these are people. They don't care. To show them that what they're doing is wrong would have no effect on them. And the slave trade is massive. There's no way our little collection of islands could go up against an entire world full of people who think that this is okay." Hiccup looked sadly at a young man in chains who was walking behind his master. "We can't win this, Addie. The best we can do is show others that we don't need slaves to be successful."

"You intervened when Finn was taken." Adrianna countered.

"Yes I did. And I freed the only other slave I could." Hiccup placed a hand on his daughter's back. "Maybe one day, a force more powerful than we are can put an end to this."

"We can only hope." Adrianna replied, her eyes still on the slave they had seen earlier.

Suddenly, the slave's master shouted something they couldn't quite make out. He got out a whip and Adrianna screamed in horror when he brought it down on the young man's back. Hiccup grabbed her arm to keep her from running over.

"Don't you see what he's doing?" Adrianna whimpered through gritted teeth, her eyes misting with tears.

"Addie-"

"How could someone _do_ that?" Adrianna continued, her voice raising in pitch. "Why isn't anyone doing anything?" she added as she looked around at the crowd of people forming in the area.

"Addie, listen to me," Hiccup turned her to face him, "if you do try to intervene, you could get arrested. Or beaten."

"I don't care-"

"I do." Hiccup brushed her bangs out of her eyes. "You can't stop this by yourself. But if there ever is an army strong enough to rise up against this, I would join it in a heartbeat. And maybe you could form one someday. But for today, your job is the same as mine: find those berries." she nodded and he looked around. "We're in some kind of marketplace. See if you can find some of those berries for sale. Keep Lily nearby and holler if you need me."

"Okay." the girl agreed.

Thanks to her size, Lily followed Adrianna from the edges of the marketplace. It was definitely best to keep her away from the many booths and carts because she could easily destroy them with one swipe of her tail. Adrianna got out her money bag and looked around for someone who could sell her the berries she sought. She scanned the area with her eyes, finding several vegetable merchants and a few selling little trinkets. She was briefly tempted by a lovely purple necklace but she reminded herself that she had more important things to do. And then she caught sight of a merchant selling some already cooked meat. It all smelled delicious and gave her an idea. She quickly walked over and purchased the tastiest looking section of chicken.

The slave she had seen before had been left on his own to buy some things for his master. Adrianna sighed in relief and hurried over to him.

"For you." she said, offering him the piece of chicken. The slave shook his head but she placed it in his hand. "You deserve it."

Tears filled the young man's eyes as he quickly ate what was probably one of the best meals of his life. Adrianna helped him wipe down his mouth and hands so his master would never know what had happened.

"Gratias tibi ago." he whispered.

Adrianna smiled warmly at him before turning away, satisfied that the master still hadn't seen anything. She quickly prayed that he never would.

As the girl walked into a slightly more crowded part of the marketplace, she found herself face to face with a man older than her father who walked with a cane. His steel gray eyes made her extremely uncomfortable, especially when they traced her developing curves.

"Are you lost?" he asked with a smile that gave her shivers. "I can help you find your way."

"I'm fine." Adrianna said a bit too quickly. "Thank you though."

"Oh I insist. Pretty young lady like you could get lost without a man to show her where to go." Ratri grabbed her upper arm, making her gasp in surprise.

"No, really, I'm fine-"

"Get your hands off my daughter!" came a loud voice to her left.

Adrianna looked over and saw her father bounding over, looking absolutely (and a bit scarily) livid. He stopped short when he made eye contact with the man, his face reddening with suppressed rage.

"You!" the man with the cane bellowed. "You cheated me!"

For a moment, Adrianna was completely bewildered. And then it hit her. The cane, the cold gray eyes... she quickly wrenched her arm out of his grip while he was distracted.

"I paid for my son. If you lost the money, that's your problem." Hiccup hissed through his teeth. "Come on, Addie."

"Ratri..." Adrianna said out loud without thinking. "You're the scum who beat Benen and my brother!"

"Watch your tongue, girl." Ratri said warningly, his eyes narrowed and his lips pursed. "Or I'll have it removed."

"Addie, let's go-"

"Benen served you for years and you still beat him day in and day out. He is the sweetest, kindest, most wonderful man I know! And my brother was a child! How do you live with yourself?" Adrianna raged, her hands balled at her sides. "You are nothing but a filthy coward and you deserve to-"

SMACK!

Adrianna felt a sensation of white hot pain flash across her cheek as her body was thrown sideways. As she landed heavily on the ground, she heard an outraged roar and caught sight of her dragon, ignited and running at top speed toward the trio. Hiccup leaped in front of her, holding his arms out.

"Hey! Calm down, girl!" he shouted over her angry roars. He turned to Ratri, his gaze scathing. "I suggest you run because I can only hold her off for so long."

Ratri hobbled off, cursing loudly. Hiccup barely kept Lily contained, requiring the help of Toothless to keep her from flying off and ripping the man to shreds. She was making quite a spectacle of herself, her wings outstretched, her whole body aflame, her tail knocking over stands and sending their contents flying. Soon, they could hear the others talking, some in Latin and others in Norse.

"Susurro est quod draco?"

"Is that a Night Fury?"

"Qui a meridie positus Zebah!"

"My cabbages!"

Hiccup ignored these comments as he finally succeeded in calming the Monstrous Nightmare down. He reached down and helped his daughter up but there was a fire in his eyes she had never seen before.

"We need to talk." he said through gritted teeth, marching her through the marketplace and apologizing to as many people as he could.

As soon as they were in a somewhat secluded area, Adrianna spoke up. "Dad, I couldn't just let him get away with what he-"

"Yes, Addie, you could!" Hiccup roared, causing her to jump. "You are lucky Lily didn't kill him because then there would have been Hel to pay! Do you have any idea how foolish that was?"

"He deserved it after what he did!" Adrianna shouted, her face reddening and her hands shaking with fury. "He's a monster!"

"I don't disagree!" Hiccup growled. "But you can't say things like that to people! And now we can't shop at that marketplace so our only chance of finding those berries is to search all over the island!" he sighed deeply and massaged his temple. "I thought you were more mature than that."

"Well clearly I believe in standing up to people who hurt others!" Adrianna straightened herself up so that she looked taller. "Unlike some people!"

Hiccup's head shot up. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Figure it out!" Adrianna turned on her heel and stomped away, her breathing ragged and her muscles tense.

Hiccup stood still and watched her stalk off with a frown on his face. For the first time since they had left, he was beginning to feel like he was missing something. His daughter had looked so _scathingly_ at him. Almost like he too had done something wrong. And he had a feeling that it had nothing to do with Ratri.

Rather than try to figure it out until he was mentally drained, he decided to wait it out. Surely she would tell him what was wrong. She told him everything... didn't she?

* * *

He didn't usually have bad ideas. But hunting had been a very, _very_ bad idea.

He shot a buck; Helga shot a doe. They even shot a few ducks on their way back to the Great Hall. The cooks had been thrilled when they returned with new meat for the sickly village to share. But Finn hadn't taken into account that once he killed something, he'd have to drag it home. And of course, with his sleep deprived mind, he hadn't thought to bring Thornado along.

The teenagers had been gone for two hours, what with tracking the deer, shooting the deer, waiting for the deer to die, gutting the deer, and then trekking all the way back to the top of the village with said deer. All in all, by the time they returned, Finn was exhausted. A headache had effectively blossomed halfway through the trip and now his head pounded with every step. His body felt heavy and sluggish and it felt like a chore to take each step.

Despite this, Finn launched full-swing into another day. He helped the volunteering cooks make venison stew, helped pass out bowls of food to everyone, and then took time to eat a late lunch with Astrid, who was still bedridden. He could only eat half his food, which he pinned down to his lack of sleep. He was standing to leave when his mother grabbed his wrist.

"Finn..." Astrid turned away to cough and then said, "Why don't you stay with me? You look exhausted."

Finn shook his head stubbornly. "Too much to do, mom. I'll check on you in a bit." He walked away before she could argue further. He didn't see her share a concerned look with Benen.

The teenager walked past the Jorgenson family with curious eyes. Inga was still unconscious and her parents still hadn't left her side. Snotlout looked blank and terrified; Heather looked pale and depressed. Finn walked on, forcing himself to look away.

He walked up to Mara, waiting patiently until she was done speaking with Gobber, who gave him a concerned expression. The healer turned at the blacksmith's gaze and she too raised her eyebrows at Finn.

"Is there anything you need me to do?" Finn asked, trying not to look tired.

Gobber pursed his lips and looked at Mara as she firmly said, "Yes, I want you to go to bed."

Finn blinked, wondering for a second if he'd heard wrong. He stared at her blankly, waiting for the punch line until she pressed her hands on his shoulders. "Finn. Go to bed. I mean it."

He shook his head, "There's too much to-"

"Yes, I know." Mara nodded. "But you're not doing anyone any favors by running yourself into the ground like this. I bet if you were to sit down with your mother, you'd be out in seconds."

"I slept for half the night, Mara, I'm fine." Finn turned away. "It's fine, I'll find something to do."

Gobber began to follow him, but Mara set a hand on his arm. "Leave him be. We can't force him. Just keep an eye on him." Gobber sighed regretfully but nodded, catching Benen's eye from across the room.

Finn kept himself busy with odd jobs here and there for a while after that. He was increasingly quiet, but when he did speak, he was typically short and sarcastic. After a while, people stopped trying to talk to him. Benen sat at the same table as him, watching with a careful eye as Finn struggled with a knot in some netting he was trying to fix for a carrier.

Finn let his mind wander as he worked. Or at least he liked to tell himself he was working hard, but in fact he knew he was moving slower than usual. In his mind, he kept telling himself to keep moving, keep working, people need this done, Mara needs this, mom needs more water, Mr. Larson needs another blanket, give this note to the Jorgensons from their boys, keep moving, keep moving, keep moving.

Finally sick of messing with the knot, Finn resolved to just give it back to Mara. He spun out of his seat to stand, and the room shifted. Finn reached out and steadied himself at the edge of the table, shaking his head to clear it.

 _That was weird_ , he thought. He took a few steps forward, trying to figure out who he'd gotten the net from. It wasn't Mara…was it Hoark the fishermen? Gunnar the… no, maybe Mulch or Bucket?

The room shifted again and he blinked hard, trying to focus on the voices around him. When did walking get so difficult? Who as the net from? What was he doing again?

Suddenly, everything felt off. Sounds echoed, lights winkled in and out of focus, faces blurred, walls and tables shifted. Finn's center of gravity plummeted and his knees buckled.

"Catch him, catch him, catch him!" Benen yelled out to anyone as Finn collapsed.

Finn vaguely felt his forehead knock into a shoulder, but only gave a stifled "mph" in response. He felt the arms around his body and then the cold hardness of the ground against his back. He tried in confusion to make out the blurring shapes over him, but everything began to spin once again. He moaned and closed his eyes.

Finn felt someone pat his cheek and could vaguely hear Benen's echoing voice. A cold sensation touched his lips a moment later and it trickled down the side of his neck, but he couldn't make himself respond to it. To anything at all. He felt everything slipping away: feeling, vision, then hearing. The dark of unconsciousness pulled him under just as he heard Benen's voice echo, "stay with me."


	13. The Final Ingredient

Hiccup couldn't sleep.

True, they had gotten the berries they needed and flown to Healer's Island, arriving just after midnight. He needed to sleep for sure but he couldn't force his body to relax. His eyes remained open and staring at the top of the tent as he drummed his fingers on his chest and listened to his daughter's deep breathing next to him. She had fallen asleep just minutes ago, he could tell when she wasn't faking it, but the longer his brain remained wide awake, the more convinced he was that he would be up all night.

Then again, after a day like that, it was a wonder Adrianna had fallen asleep at all. The haunted look in her eyes wasn't one Hiccup would forget easily, not after seeing it more times than he could count as she was growing up. The look she got just after snapping out of flashbacks when she was little or even sometimes when she thought no one was paying any attention to her. Something was very, _very_ wrong, that much he knew for sure, but he didn't know what it was, so his odds of fixing it were minimal. Then again, she didn't seem too enthusiastic about him putting any effort into it.

As he laid back against his mat, Toothless snoring quietly next to his head, he went over the day's events.

" _They're here." Adrianna said after a very silent day of hunting and looking through even the thorniest of bushes in the darkest areas of the woods. "Finally!"_

_Hiccup hurried over, nearly tripping on several tree roots as he went. "Are you sure?"_

_His daughter got out the list and gave it a quick look. "That's them."_

_Hiccup frowned. "Just to be sure, let me see. We've been looking so long, I don't want to go back and find out they're the wrong ones."_

" _It's fine." Adrianna crumpled the paper in her haste to return it to her back. "It's them, dad."_

_Hiccup's long arms and quick reflexes served him well as he reached out and took the paper from her hand. Her eyes widened in horror as she nearly dove for it but her father's height difference of over a foot proved to make retrieving it impossible. Toothless, sensing something neither human could quite understand, stepped between the desperate girl and her father._

" _Toothless, get out of the way!" she grunted as she tried to push him to the side._

_As his daughter fought his dragon, Hiccup's eyes scanned the list. Adrianna had been right about the berries; these matched the description and picture exactly. But beneath the list of ingredients was the name of an herb Hiccup had never heard of: the Potens Sanationis plant._

_**The Potens Sanationis plant is the most powerful herb in existence (to our knowledge). It can only be found in a continent many miles to the east of us. Few traders have ventured that far but those that do pick up this herb in bulk because it can heal many sicknesses at any point- even moments before death. While it is not required for the cure, it is the only thing that will save everyone. The more you put in your cure, the more powerful it will be. Another important thing to note is that this herb's effectiveness as a cure never decreases with its age. As long as it is preserved, it will be every bit as useful no matter how long ago it was harvested.** _

_Hiccup stared at the page for several seconds. The name of the herb had been underlined three times, making it impossible to miss. Yet Adrianna had acted like it didn't exist. There was no way she could possibly have missed it... so what was the problem?_

" _I know what you're thinking." Adrianna said, almost in answer to his unspoken question. "But we can't go flying across the world to get any."_

" _No." Hiccup said slowly. "So why didn't you let me see the list?"_

" _I just didn't want you to be a hero." Adrianna shook her head. "But now we've found the berries we're looking for. Soon as we get what we need from Healer's Island, we can go back to Berk and cure everyone."_

_Her false smile and the haunted look in her eyes made him pause before speaking up again. "You know where we can find some, don't you?"_

_Adrianna froze as she was using her dagger to cut off full clusters of berries. She shut her eyes tightly and shook her head. "I've never heard of it."_

" _You're lying." Hiccup said quietly._

_Adrianna sighed deeply. "So what if I am?"_

" _I want to know why." her father looked between the paper and her a few times, his brow furrowed in confusion._

" _It's not important."_

" _Clearly it is!"_

_Adrianna's shaking fingers caused her to cut the palm of her hand rather than the branch. She hissed in pain and quickly reached into her bag for a bandage. The cut didn't look deep at all, in fact it almost didn't need the bandage, but she made quite a show of wrapping it up and Hiccup decided to let the subject drop. At least for now._

Nothing about that afternoon had made any sense. Why in the world had Adrianna acted that way? Why wouldn't she tell him anything? Why had she been so quiet on the entire flight there and while they set up camp? The subject had to have triggered something but _what_?

The snuffle of Lily from across the tent brought Hiccup back to the present. He still had a small lamp lit to keep the tent warm, which he intended to blow out when he felt sleep beginning to overtake him. But it continued to burn, illuminating the green surroundings that were the tent, the brown blankets atop himself and his daughter, the black scales of his dragon's back... and Adrianna herself.

His daughter's face was half buried in the pillow and her hair was strewn around it like some kind of weird spiderweb, but she was peaceful. And sometimes that was the only time she was ever peaceful anymore. Her nightmares seemed to have ended (or she wasn't telling him about them) but there always seemed to be a subtext behind everything she said lately. Or perhaps he was reading too deeply into it. She used to tell him everything, from the way she felt when a butterfly landed on her finger to how upset she was after a spat with Erick to how scared she was when she got lost... the list could be endless some days and it took all his energy to wind her down so he could put her to bed. Then again, when was the last time that had happened? If memory served him, these kinds of evenings happened less and less often. And perhaps they had stopped altogether without him realizing it...

Adrianna took a deep breath and he was once more snapped to the present. He stared at his daughter for a few minutes. He could see her resemblance to him in an instant. Her long eyelashes fluttered every once in a while and Hiccup wondered if she was dreaming. Aside from nightmares, what did she dream about? Did she ever dream about him? The gods knew she popped into his dreams more time than he could count. Some were sweet moments like playing with dolls or snuggling in front of a fire but others... well, they were less pleasant. But after everything he'd been through as a parent, those dreams weren't surprising. She had faced horrors the likes of which he couldn't begin to imagine. And yet he had no idea what had happened because she never once divulged the details of her nightmares, only her feelings about them. At first he'd let it slip. But now, as he watched her sleep peacefully a few feet away, he wanted to know everything.

He just hoped that the everything he wanted to know wasn't as bad as he was beginning to suspect it would be.

* * *

Silence other than the crackling of fire from the nearby fire pit and the occasional cough from a mat. Erick sat with his back against a pillar, holding his father's hand, his thoughts roving. His mother sat across from him with a placid expression and a rigid back. Only her fingers moved quickly at their work in patching a hole in some trousers. He'd watched her work tirelessly for hours and vaguely wondered how her fingers hadn't bled yet.

His oldest sister Magnus, the next child after Gustav, gently hummed from her seat beside him. Erick snuck a quick glance at her and found her already watching him.

"What?" He mumbled, turning back to his father's prone form.

"You should sleep."

"Can't."

Magnus smiled gently. "They'll get here." Erick sighed and she reinforced the comment. "They will."

"It's been four days, Mags," Erick huffed to her. He looked up at her with doubtful eyes. Despite their six year age difference, he'd always been closest to Magnus. He'd always had Gustav to goof off with and there were times he'd stick up for the youngest boy; his other brother Nikolas was usually glued to their mother's side, too reserved and opinionated to even attempt a relationship with "the blonde squirt." And the only thing he had in common with his sister Aud, the middle child, was the fact that they were the daddy's boy and girl. They could get along and hold conversation well enough. But none of the others held a candle to his relationship with Magnus.

Since he was a toddler, he remembered Magnus coming into the house after a day outside with her friends and him running to hug her. She'd always play with him like none of the other kids would. And the older he got, and even when she got married and moved out of the house a little over a year ago, she still pursued a relationship with him. She'd stop by the house to talk with him and ask how he was doing. Sometimes she'd stop by the Haddocks if he was hanging out there, and she'd stick around to converse with Astrid, or even Hiccup if he were home. Other than his father, Magnus was the only family member he'd run to.

"Four days," Erick repeated quieter, turning back to their father. His ragged breathing still made the blankets shudder. "What if… we don't have a lot of time."

Magnus frowned and slid closer to her little brother, wrapping an arm around his shoulders. "No, we don't. But we need to have faith that the Chief and Anna will be back soon."

Erick opened his mouth to reply when a sudden anxious shout erupted nearby: "Catch him, catch him, catch him!" Magnus straightened and looked around in confusion as a small tussle was heard. Erick caught sight of Mara sprint across the hall as a small crowd of people began to gather around a table a few yards away.

"What… what's going on?" Erick asked pensively. Magnus trained her eyes on the scene, unable to respond.

Urgent voices sounded from the group until Mara's firm voice finally told people to back up. First, Erick saw Benen stand from the huddle with worry plastered on his pale face. Then, surprisingly Magnus' husband Gregory stood from the center with a redheaded boy in his arms, limp as a rag doll. Magnus gasped in recognition, but it wasn't until Mara and Gregory came closer to their area that he realized who the boy was.

"FINN!" A sharp gasp interrupted the Erick's when Astrid saw her son from the next pillar over.

Erick watched in horror as Gregory laid Finn down beside his mother's mat. Benen sat on his haunches behind Finn, his hands on the teenager's head gently while Mara busied herself with equipment.

Astrid brushed Finn's bangs off his forehead. "Finn? Finn? Come on baby, say something."

"Here," Mara helped Benen lift Finn's head to put a cup of water to his lips. "Come on, Finn…" the healer murmured, quickly setting the cup down beside her and checking Finn's vital signs.

Astrid looked to be on the verge of tears and kept coughing pitifully over her shoulder. Benen chewed his lip nervously, which Erick had never seen before. He hadn't realized Magnus had wrapped her arms around him tighter and pulled him closer to her chest protectively. The Larson boy continued to watch as Mara and Astrid tried to revive his friend, but it was becoming clear that Finn wasn't going to wake up.

Mara finally opened Finn's slack mouth with her fingers and inspected his tongue with a clean, flat piece of wood. She sighed with pursed lips. "He's got it."

"No…" Astrid whimpered, wrapping her hands around Finn's face and resting her forehead against his. Benen placed his hand on her back comfortingly. Astrid sat up with a look of terror. "He's burning up. Mara, what do we do?"

"I have something to give him for now, but the problem is getting it down his throat without drowning him." Mara turned to her medical supplies and quickly made a liquid concoction of herbs, spices and a spoonful of honey. She stirred it together and again they lifted Finn's head. The brown liquid trickled down the sides of his mouth and seeped into his shirt, but he gave no response to the liquid whatsoever.

"Mara, he has to drink it, what do we-"

"Astrid." Mara rested a firm hand on the woman's shoulder and declared, "It's all right. Okay? He's just unconscious because he worked himself too hard and got the sickness as a result. He's exhausted, so the sickness is taking its toll at a faster rate." Mara turned back to a bag and pulled out a small siphon with a strip of very thin netting over top.

Erick watched as she carefully eased the thin end into the corner of Finn's mouth and poured the makeshift medicine onto the netting. He knew from watching her do this with his father that the remaining herbs collected at the top while the liquid drained to the bottom, and into the patient's mouth. Mara poured slowly and only a small amount at a time. There was a collective sigh of relief when Finn's natural instinct to swallow kicked in and he drank the full cup of medicine.

"All right," Mara sighed, setting the tools aside. "I want a cot set up beside Astrid's and I want to know immediately if he wakes up, coughs, or is in pain. Astrid, back on your mat, please." Erick realized Benen had nodded to every instruction and Astrid scowled.

"Mara-"

"Astrid." Mara interrupted and stood. "He'll be right by your side. I don't want you to move."

Erick watched Gregory and Benen quickly make a mat beside Astrid's, and then carefully move Finn onto it. He still made no sounds or movements. Astrid sat beside him, her lower half still half pooled in blankets. She blinked heavily and cleared her throat constantly, fighting the cough in her lungs just like everyone else.

Magnus stirred beside him and he jerked, having forgotten she had been there. "Astrid?" the blonde looked up and his sister asked, "Is there anything you need?"

Astrid moved to shake her head but paused. Her lips parted and her request came softly. "I need some paper and a quill. Or charcoal, something to write with." She turned to Benen with an urgent look. "I need to send a message to Hiccup. They need to hurry."

As if to second that notion, Olaf coughed hoarsely. His body wracked and he winced in his sleep painfully. Erick jerked forward to see if he would wake up, but he remained asleep after nearly a minute of discomfort. He sighed and sat back against the pillar once more, giving his mother a single glance. A flare of annoyance shot through him at how uncaring she seemed to be at all of this, but he gave Magnus a short smile when she stood to fulfill Astrid's request.

His teal eyes darted across the short distance to see her stroking Finn's face sadly, Benen's hands resting loosely on the sides of his boy's head. Both looked weary, exhausted, and disheartened. This only made him feel worse as his father gave another painful cough. Surely if the strongest people on the island were discouraged, what could he do to keep his fears at bay?

* * *

Hiccup was silent as he and Adrianna gathered all the necessary ingredients. It didn't take long, only twenty minutes or so, but neither of them were paying much attention to what they were doing. As Adrianna put a cutting of grass in the bag of ingredients, Hiccup took a deep breath and opened his mouth.

"You have to tell me." he said as calmly as he could.

"What?"

"You know what." Hiccup was slightly firmer. "You're keeping something from me."

"We have the ingredients. We can go home." Adrianna shut the bag and shouldered it without looking at her father.

"Addie, please, this could save a lot of people." Hiccup pleaded in a slightly hoarse voice. "Do you know where we can find this plant?"

Adrianna didn't respond. She stared at her feet for a few seconds before turning to her dragon and attaching the bag to her saddle. Hiccup slowly approached her and put a hand on her shoulder.

"Please, Addie." he quietly begged.

"No."

"Addie-"

"I said no. Now let's go back to Berk." Adrianna made a move to mount her dragon but Hiccup grabbed her arm and held it firmly. "Let me go."

"Not until you tell me where to find the plant." Hiccup _hated_ doing this. He felt like he was forcing her to relive something, though he didn't know what. But his loyalty to his people had won out. "You know something. You have to tell me."

Adrianna struggled but his grip was too strong; her arm finally went limp and she shut her eyes. "I can't."

"Why not?"

"I just _can't_."

"You could save so many lives, Addie!" Hiccup's patience was beginning to dwindle. "What could be so bad that you can't tell me where to find it?"

"Let me go!"

"Tell me!"

Adrianna suddenly wrenched her arm free and ran in the opposite direction. Hiccup, surprised at this sudden action, had to act fast before she was too far to chase with only one good leg. Fortunately, his reflexes were quick as ever; she got only a few feet away before he caught her. She let out an indignant scream as he grabbed her shoulders and turned her to face him.

"It's okay." he said in a gentle voice. "You can tell me anything."

"Not this." Adrianna thrashed around in his arms but he refused to budge. "Please let me go."

"Did you see someone use it?" he asked.

She didn't answer. She stopped moving and went limp in his arms. Her whole body had begun to shiver and she dropped her head so he couldn't even look at her face anymore.

A timid whimper became audible after several tense seconds. "Don't make me go back."

The question Hiccup wanted to ask least of all began to press into his mind, slowly enveloping all else as he tried to think of something, anything, other than that. But there it was. At the forefront as everything else ran out.

"Was it Trista?"

He had said it. A name that made his blood boil with rage at even the mention, even the _thought_ of mentioning it... but a necessary utterance in this case.

Adrianna exhaled slowly, shakily... and then nodded. Hiccup forced his arms not to tighten against hers, though he felt as if his heart was being squeezed to dust. The woman who had stolen his daughter's innocence and, in some ways, her very childhood, seemed to spring back from the grave to haunt them again. But this time he had had enough. This time was going to be the _last_ time.

"Addie, that was ten years ago." Hiccup reminded her, his voice hoarse but as soft as he could make it. "She can't hurt you now."

"Don't make me go back." Adrianna shook her head. "Please."

"I think you should." Hiccup gently placed two fingers on her chin and turned her head up to face him. She kept her eyes shut but offered little resistance. "Addie, this is a big opportunity. You can conquer this right now."

"No."

"I know it's hard. But it's time to let it go and move on. Isn't that what you want?" Hiccup sighed deeply. "Look... I don't know where she kept it. Or if she had it crushed so I wouldn't be able to tell which one it is. Or even if it's still there. But you remember. You could be a hero, Addie. You could save people."

Adrianna shook her head. Her head told her that her father's words were true. But her heart constricted and her whole body seemed to panic when she as much as entertained the thought of going back and facing what she had seen. Of living those nightmares again... she wanted to help Olaf and Svala and everyone else who had gotten sick _so_ badly. She stood still and sniffled once before nodding shakily.

"That's my girl." Hiccup kissed her forehead and led her to the dragons, who were watching the scene with interest.

As Adrianna mounted Lily, her whole body tensed. Lily seemed to feel this and made a comforting sort of noise before taking off behind Hiccup and Toothless. The girl shut her eyes and prayed for courage as she hurtled to the most terrifying place she had ever been.

* * *

Erick felt himself nodding off halfway through the night. The painted stone pillar dug into the back of his skull and he kept having a knee-jerk reaction when his head would slump sideways. He'd snap his head back up, frown and readjust his position in the attempt to fall asleep without lying down. He was unsuccessful thus far, but he finally got his head angled into a somewhat comfortable position.

That's when he felt the rustle of material by his leg and then the gentle touch of fingers on his cheek.

He flinched and squinted at the offensive appendage… but froze when he saw his father's brown eyes gazing back at his, exhausted and baggy, but alert. Erick sat up, opening his mouth to speak when Olaf rested a finger on his lips.

"Shh…" Olaf carefully glanced at the rest of the sleeping family around them. "Sleeping."

Erick carefully wrapped his arms around his father and buried his face in his chest. "Dad. You're awake."

"For now," Olaf whispered, brushing a hand through his youngest son's blonde hair. Once Erick sat back up, he promptly asked, "What's happened?"

Erick scowled at the blankets. "There's a sickness. At least half of the village is sick. Chief Hiccup and Annie went to get ingredients for the cure almost five days ago… a couple of people have already recovered though."

"Five days…" Olaf mused, his raspy voice almost squeaking from misuse.

Erick nodded. "We hope they'll get back with the cure soon. It's taking a long time but…" Erick paused, eyes searching out Astrid and Benen's sleeping forms nearby. "Mrs. H- ahh Astrid… She sent Hiccup a letter today, asking him to hurry."

Olaf's brow furrowed. "Why?"

"Because…" Erick swallowed. "Because Finn is sick." Olaf frowned sadly and Erick felt the need to continue, "I-I mean, a lot of people are sick so they don't mean it as 'oh, Finn is sick so now it's imperative they return quicker.' They're just… I don't know. I know they don't mean it that way. I just don't think they've really been communicating with them since they left."

Olaf nodded. "They probably took that as an opportunity to send a message."

"I mean, they didn't send a message when Astrid got sick two days ago."

"Astrid is sick?" Olaf asked in surprise. "Wow. She doesn't get sick often. Neither does Hiccup, actually. They've both got strong immunities."

Erick sighed. "I feel so bad for Finn… you should've seen him, dad. I haven't seen anyone work so hard for so long. Even Mara has had to stop and rest from time to time to keep up with everything, but Finn… he refused to stop. If he fell asleep he'd get mad at himself and work even harder to make up for lost time."

Olaf smiled. "He'll be a good ch-" A harsh cough interrupted him and he faced the other direction. The cough lasted only a few seconds, but Erick knew it was uncomfortable. Olaf sighed, "…chief someday."

"Yeah, if he makes it…" Erick glanced at his father in surprise at what he'd just said without thinking, but shook it off. "I didn't see it, but I guess he was working himself too hard or something today and he just… passed out. Collapsed. Greg brought him to Astrid's mat over there and they couldn't wake him up." Erick paused to sigh. "He's been feverish ever since. No matter what Mara gives him, they can't shake it."

Olaf frowned throughout the entire explanation. When Erick remained silent, he calmly replied, "He'll be all right. Hiccup will bring back the cure and Finn will be just fine."

Erick smiled for the first time in days. "Just like you."

Olaf's smile faltered for a moment and he sighed, patting Erick's hand gently. "I dearly hope so, son."

"I can't wait until this week is over," Erick mused. "So many people are sick, too many accidents."

"Accidents?"

"Well, Finn's episode today, and…" Erick paused with a frown. "Inga's accident. She crashed her dragon yesterday morning and… she had some sort of episode later that day."

"Episode?"

"Her body was shaking and she frothed at the mouth." Erick shivered. "I didn't see it but I heard people freaking out."

Olaf sighed. "Poor girl…"

Erick nodded, staring down at the blankets again with a morose expression. He didn't notice his father's gaze turn to him, taking in details with his brown eyes. The dark circles under his eyes, the slouched posture, the firm grip on his father's hand, the noticeable difference in his son's weight.

"You need to sleep."

Erick blinked at him and one shoulder bobbed. "I'll sleep for days when you're better."

"You should sleep now."

"'m fine."

"I'm sure that's what Finn said."

"Finn was working nonstop, dad. I've been sitting on my rear." Erick smirked with a slight eye roll. "I'm more tired from lack of activity than anything."

"Then go do something," Olaf smiled like leaving his side was the easiest thing in the world. "Take Charger around for a flight, I'm sure after five days he's going barking mad."

Erick pursed his lips. He truly hadn't given his dragon much thought these last few days. He should probably go home and at least bring him back to the Great Hall. His green Deadly Nadder would prove to be a more comfortable back rest than this pole, for sure. Then again, he didn't want to think about how much room he'd take up and how rambunctious he'd probably be at finally receiving attention. His name wasn't Charger for nothing.

"Ah probably best to just wait until everything is back to normal," Erick finally mused, scratching his scruffy cheek. "Wouldn't do…" He frowned in surprise at the sensation and ran a hand across his face. Olaf gave a knowing grin and Erick breezed through his thought, "Wouldn't do to have a hyper dragon in a Hall full of sick people."

Olaf couldn't hold back the comment any longer. "Finally getting rid of the peach fuzz, I see."

Erick rolled his eyes with a snort, running both hands on his cheeks and chin. He hadn't even noticed that he was starting to actually get some manly scruff. It was even on the underside of his chin a bit. He wondered for a short moment if he could grow a full beard… that would shock Adrianna right out of her saddle for sure.

But then he remembered some of the older boys growing random patches and thinking they looked like something amazing, and in reality they looked quite silly. All those snickers and under-the-breath comments from the older men… nope. At least he was blonde, but he'd be shaving just in case.

Olaf seemed to read his mind, chuckling lightly at his youngest's facial expressions to match his thoughts. The man sighed serenely and shook his head lovingly. "Already grown up."

Erick shook his head with half a smile. "Hardly a man yet."

"No, not yet." Olaf agreed. "But you've got something special inside that none of my other children have." Erick paused, unsure what to expect. Olaf poked Erick's chest with a single finger with a gentle smile and said: "Compassion."

Erick frowned. "Compassion?"

"You help those who need help. You befriend those who have none because you see they're lonely. There aren't many people who have the strength or courage to do that."

"Are you talking about… Annie?"

Olaf gave a mild shrug. "Possibly."

"Dad, we've been friends since we were little. I'd hardly call that friendship based on compassion."

"No?" Olaf raised an eyebrow. He gazed at his son non-critically for a moment before he settled on a decision: "Let me tell you a story."

"Okay."

"There once was a little boy. Quiet, reserved, cautious." Olaf began. "He had two brothers and two sisters, all older than him."

Erick gave him a detached look. "Dad, does the story have to be about m-"

"Shh you'll miss an important detail." Olaf chided with a twinkle of mischief in his eye, and continued: "This boy didn't have many friends his age and those who were close by didn't seem to catch his eye. He was too busy drawing pictures and coloring, playing with tools and leather in his father's shed, things like that. Until one day, it was his birthday. His fifth birthday."

Erick frowned, wishing his father wouldn't bring up this particular day. But he didn't stop him from plowing through the story.

"This boy, you see, was born on Snoggletog. Brightest day of the year, perfect for celebrating joy and happiness, but even better with his own special time mixed in. He was so excited the night before…" Olaf paused, a frown forming on his face. "But the boy awoke to the sound of warning bells and horns. An emergency had taken place and everyone was to assemble in the Great Hall.

"A kidnapping. The little granddaughter of the chief was missing, and no one knew who had taken her, or where she'd been taken." Olaf paused, letting the information sink in. Erick could still remember the fear that shook his little world that day. "That little boy was _terrified_. Some terrible person had taken a child from her home in the middle of the night. Those days she was missing, he wouldn't sleep without a light on in the room. In fact, he barely slept at all-"

"Dad…" Erick whispered.

"He couldn't get it out of his head. Most children knew something bad had happened, but none of them weighed the true gravity of the situation. This boy was smart and he saw cruelty in the world long before he needed to. But," Olaf paused and a hint of a smile formed on his face. "When that little girl was finally rescued, that boy was suddenly overcome with something. He couldn't stop talking about her. He'd seen her from time to time around the village and knew who she was, but never before had his parents realized just how much he seemed to know about her. While they wanted to keep him inside where it was safe, he nearly begged them to take him to the healer's where she was being kept."

Olaf paused again, his smile widening for just a moment. "When asked why, that little boy said something that I never forgot. He said, 'she likes purple' and showed us a small drawing in purple that he wanted to give her. And that struck me as odd at first, because what does the color purple have to do with any of this? But then I realized, you'd been paying attention. You knew what she liked, what made her happy. And though you were terrified yourself for what had happened, though you really didn't know her and though she was… nearly broken by that woman's hand…" Olaf's face split into a smile at last. "You reached out to her."

Erick swallowed thick, suddenly overcome with emotion that he normally never showed. "Don't praise me, dad. I was just a kid."

"A wiser kid than many adults that I've met in my day," Olaf sighed in exhaustion, resting a hand on his shoulder. But his smile didn't waver. "Let me tell you something, Erick. Adrianna… needs love. And patience. And most of all, time. You know this almost better than anyone. Don't let anyone or anything get in the way of helping her heal. It's… it's important."

Erick blushed, breaking eye contact. "You're turning it into something more. There's a proposal at the end of this story, I can feel it."

Olaf breathed a laugh, too weary to chuckle. "Perhaps… someday. Erick…" He paused, blinking heavily but he still seemed to take the time to choose his words carefully. "I love you. You know that, right?"

"Of course, dad." Erick smiled, holding his father's hand in both of his. "I would never doubt it."

Olaf smiled and smudged his thumb against Erick's cheek. "Good." Erick stifled a yawn and finally rubbed his eyes. His father smiled knowingly. "Get some rest, son. Come here, I've got you."

Erick finally gave in, laying down beside his father and resting his head on his shoulder. He felt his father's arm wrap around his back and gently pull him closer. Just before falling asleep, he mumbled "Love you, dad."

Though Erick didn't hear it, Olaf gently whispered, "I love you too, son" and kissed his forehead before following him into a warm, comfortable sleep.

* * *

It was quiet when they touched down. Hiccup looked back at Adrianna on her dragon and was dismayed to see her eyes shut tight. She held onto Lily as if she was clinging to the only thing in the universe. Her father slowly walked over and put a hand on her upper arm.

"Addie, it's okay." his voice was barely audible but he forced it through. "She's not here. She's not anywhere."

Adrianna looked up and took in her snow covered surroundings. Everything was exactly as she had dreamed it had been. The little hut standing stubbornly against the cold. The place in front of it in which a blade had been pressed to her throat. When she had learned that Trista's stories about Stoick had been true. When she had believed that her short life would be snuffed out at any moment. And the hut itself was old, much older than she remembered, but that was where...

Her whole body tensed and she buried her face in her dragon's neck. Lily made a concerned sort of coo and the girl felt Toothless nudging her foot with his snout. Her father's hand hadn't left her upper arm and it was beginning to feel like sandpaper. As she listened to the still silence in the woods and heard her heart pumping so fast it was beginning to make her feel lightheaded, she knew one thing for certain: she _couldn't_ do this.

"It's okay." Hiccup whispered.

"It's not okay." she mumbled into the scales. "It's never going to be okay."

"Not if you don't face this. Come down, Addie." Hiccup motioned for Lily to lower her head and the Monstrous Nightmare, sensing that her human's father had her best interests in mind, obeyed. "Let's do this. Let's save everyone."

Suddenly, Adrianna's reflexes kicked in full blast and she clung even more tightly to her dragon. "No... no, no, no, no, no..." she mumbled. "Don't make me do this."

This was too much. She was walking into her own nightmares. It was as if Trista already had her in her clutches again. The last ten years vanished from her memory and suddenly she was a tiny child. And even her daddy's soft words were ultimately as meaningless as the promise he had made to protect her from everything she had faced.

Hiccup finally took his hand off of her arm and faced the hut. He thought vaguely that if he could show his daughter that there was nothing to fear, he could fix this. He could save her from this nightmare once and for all. Even as he strode forward, he was becoming increasingly uneasy about what he was about to find.

But _nothing_ could have prepared him for the truth.

As he pushed open the door and looked into the darkened hut, a strong, musty smell reached his nostrils. It was clear that no one had been inside for an incredibly long time. He took a step inside and a shape on the ground caught his eye. He lit his lamp and held it up so he could see it more clearly... and then stumbled back a few feet. There, lying in the middle of the floor, was a skeleton fully dressed and wearing a shiny but blood stained white scarf. Its flesh appeared to have rotted away a long time ago. But the most horrifying thing of all was the axe was embedded in its back, its blade still reddish brown from its victim's blood.

After a few seconds of pure shock and horror, he turned and walked out of the house. Adrianna was still clinging to Lily and refusing to look at anything at all. In a daze, he walked up to her and the first thing he thought to ask tumbled out of his mouth.

"Who was that?"

Adrianna knew exactly to whom he was referring. The man who had looked so much like her father. The man whose story Trista had told her while his blood poured out of his limp, newly dead body. The man whose name made her blood run cold.

And yet it could no longer be avoided. Hiccup needed answers. And so she took a deep, shaking breath and forced them out.

"He was an escapologist named Zebah."


	14. Zebah

_Zebah_.

Hiccup knew that name. He'd heard it before... a few times, actually. As he stared at his daughter, still clinging to her dragon, his mind began to race. Why was this name so familiar? Why did he connect it to Maero? Had he met someone named Zebah there?

And suddenly it hit him.

Didn't Javan the Deceiver, the man who had sold his son into slavery, call him Zebah? Yes, now that Hiccup thought about it, Javan's first words to him were an exclamation of surprise that he was still alive. A few people on Maero had made the same mistake. He'd shrugged it off then but now...

"You knew Zebah?" he asked his daughter with wide eyes.

There was a long pause before the girl nodded. Everything seemed to hit Hiccup at once. The mystery of this man, this name that had followed him for years, was about to be solved by his own daughter. A part of him didn't want to know what had happened. And yet he knew without a shadow of a doubt that he _must_ know. It was a piece of Adrianna's darkest hours that he had never known existed. A man whose name followed her too. The escapologist in the stories she had told three years ago... had they been true?

The girl's face was hidden in her dragon's neck. Her whole body trembled and she let out little squeaks as she breathed far too fast. Her father strode forward and put one of his hands over hers.

"What happened in there?" he whispered. "What did she do to him? To you?"

The girl shook her head and tightened her hold on the Monstrous Nightmare. Hiccup sighed deeply and reached up to gently stroke her hair. A tiny twinge of pain radiated through his stump but he hardly noticed in his concern for his daughter.

"Don't make me go back." she whimpered after a few silent seconds.

"Hey," Hiccup carefully tugged on her hair to get her attention without hurting her. "Let's get out of here for a minute. You can tell me what happened."

The memories flashed in Adrianna's brain as if they had happened in the last five minutes instead of a full decade previously. She couldn't look at her father and she certainly couldn't talk about it.

"Addie?" Hiccup whispered.

"I can't tell you. It's in the hut somewhere but I don't remember where." Adrianna mumbled into her dragon.

Suddenly, a sharp pain radiated in Hiccup's stump. A few twinges had irritated him during the flight but the elevation wasn't a good sign. Toothless made a cooing sound and nudged him as he hissed in pain.

"There's a storm coming." Hiccup said, gently rubbing his stump as the pain decreased. "Soon."

"So go." Adrianna muttered. "Go find it."

"Addie-"

"I can't go in there." she whimpered. "Don't make me go in there."

Hiccup would have stayed to argue but the now constant discomfort in his leg was an indication of a heavy storm. He was going to have to go in on his own and hope he found it. Meanwhile, Adrianna trembled as she clung to her dragon. She was never going to tell him, or anyone else, what had happened in there. What she had seen. It was a story she was going to take to her grave.

_She had expected her daddy to come by now._

_The strongest man in the world always came when she needed him. He always burst in and threw his arms around her. He always made her feel like everything was going to be okay._

_So where was he?_

_He hadn't come when she had awakened with her hands and feet tied to the walls. He hadn't come when the old woman who claimed she was Poppy's sister had slapped her across the face. He hadn't come when the growls of her stomach were ignored by the woman, who laughed when she saw the girl suffering. And the most surprising thing of all was that this time, when she needed him more than she had ever needed anyone, he didn't answer her cries for help._

_Hours passed and darkness fell but still he did not come._

_The old woman, who had introduced herself as Aunt Trista, was gone. She had spent a lot of the day either completely absent or writing on a large piece of wood and cutting it into pieces. Although while she was there, she had told the most horrible lies about Poppy. Adrianna knew that her Poppy would never kill a child. She was small and he had always been gentle with her. He couldn't have done the horrible thing this Trista person said he had done. Although she was beginning to wonder if her Poppy remembered that he had a granddaughter at all. He had always liked Finn better..._

_The most scary thing of all, however, was the fact that her daddy seemed to forgotten her. Didn't he love her anymore? And now it was nighttime and the little girl should have been tucked into bed and kissed on the forehead by both mommy and daddy before drifting to sleep, safe and sound. And though she was beginning to feel like her hero had forgotten all about her, she tried to call one last time._

" _Daddy..." she sobbed through the silence of the hut. "Daddy, please..."_

_There was no response. The girl became increasingly desperate. Her daddy always came when she cried for him. Where was he? Couldn't he hear her? Didn't he want to take her away from this horrible place?_

" _Daddy!" she wailed louder this time. "Where are you?"_

_Crunch!_

_Something had landed on the snow outside. She heard the snuffle of a dragon._

" _Hello!" came a voice. "Is anyone in there?"_

" _Daddy!" the girl wailed._

" _Mari!" the voice cried. "My sweet Mari!"_

_The door was flung open and a man stomped through, a lamp in his hand illuminating his face. Shaggy brown hair surrounded his face, bright green eyes shined through the dark, a sparkly white scarf seemed to glisten in the lamplight... was this her daddy?_

" _Mari!" the man repeated. He held up the lamp so he could see the tiny girl against the wall. His face fell. "I am so sorry, my dear. I thought..." he sighed sadly and walked over._

_He looked so much like her daddy. Adrianna could see more wrinkles on his face, flecks of gray in his hair, a slender but slightly heavier frame than her father's... and two feet. The resemblance was striking and Adrianna was half convinced that this man had to be her daddy's long lost brother or a cousin. He stared at her, a soft compassion in his gaze so much like that of her daddy's._

" _Did Trista take you too?" the man asked in a gentle voice. He even sounded like her father, only with a slightly lower, clearer tone._

_Adrianna nodded shakily. "I want my daddy." she whimpered._

" _Then I'll not waste any more time, dear." the stranger got out a dagger from his belt and began to cut away at the ropes. As he worked, he muttered to himself so quietly, the girl almost didn't her. "This demon... this villain... this monster! Bullying children is her game, is it? Then let us see what this creature thinks she can do when the wrath of a grown man stands before her."_

" _Oh I think not." came a horrible voice from the entrance of the hut._

_Adrianna couldn't see her very well in the dim lamplight but she saw the silver glint in Trista's hand. The girl opened her mouth to cry out to her rescuer but the older woman was too quick for her. She brought down the metal object with a sickening look of glee in her eyes. There was a horrible cry, a splatter of red, and the man fell at the girl's feet._

_A scream of horror erupted in Adrianna's throat as she backed away from the body. The man's blood continued to seep out and slowly grow nearer to where she was standing. Trista looked down at the body with a satisfied smile before looking up at the little girl. Adrianna squeaked in terror and tried to back away some more._

" _Oh my dear," Trista simpered. "I have no plans to do the same to you. No, you serve a much bigger purpose. Without you, I'd have no leverage. Zebah, however," she nudged the body with her foot, "wasn't necessary. I lured him here to finish his story and now, after such a long time, it's finally over." she reached down and picked up something from beneath the body, raising an eyebrow as she held it close to her face for inspection. "Oh... you came prepared. Potens Sanationis is the most powerful healing herb in existence. This will do very nicely." Quite suddenly, Trista leaned forward, her gray eyes flashing and causing Adrianna's heart to pound in terror. "But if anyone tries to save you again, I'll do exactly the same thing. Wouldn't do to let your daddy die so painfully, would it?"_

" _D-don't hurt Daddy." Adrianna whimpered through a tiny hiccup._

" _Well that's up to you. If he or anyone else as much as touches you, I will kill them. Do you understand me?" Trista took a deep breath as if this conversation had exhausted her. And then her eyes flitted to the skirt on Adrianna's waist. "Those stains certainly won't wash out." she chortled as she took in the bloodstains on the purple cloth. And then her smile widened. Without any warning, she stomped forward and yanked the skirt off the girl's waist._

" _No!" Adrianna wailed, unable to stop her due to her bindings._

" _Scare tactics are always such good motivators." Trista held up the little skirt so she could see it better. "Let's see what your parents think of this." she dropped the skirt into the still growing puddle of blood and soaked it until its original color was completely obscured. "Although I suppose I'll have to find a way to assure them that you're still alive. I'll figure something out on the way down." the elderly woman got out a bit of parchment and quickly wrote out a note before taking the skirt and her Changewing and heading to the door. She paused for a moment. "When I get back, I have a lovely bedtime story for you. It's about an escapologist who met his untimely end and the circumstances that brought him there. But for now, Blaze, be a dear and make sure young Addie doesn't attract the attention of anyone else who may be flying over. By any means necessary."_

_Adrianna jumped when the door was slammed in her face. The dim lighting of the lamp Zebah had left still flickered and illuminated the bright red blood still pooling beneath him. Unwittingly, she let out a tiny sob and backed against the wall as far as she could. The Nadder, which didn't look very different from her mother's in this lighting, raised its tail and brought it down. Adrianna let out a scream as white hot pain exploded across her face and she would have skidded across the floor had she not been tied up. The little girl kept her mouth shut and desperately tried not to make a single sound. But as the putrid smell of blood and decay began to fill her nostrils, she realized that she would never see her family again. And this crushing reality took away the last remnants of innocence that she had left._

There had been so much blood. How her clothes hadn't been as bloodstained as her skirt remained a mystery in her mind. She had spent over a day in Zebah's presence, inhaling the pungent smells of his decaying body. As he rotted, Trista had delightedly told her the story of his days as an escapologist, his marriage to the acrobat, and the death defying stunt they had attempted. Of the little girl born to them and then stolen by Trista herself. Three and a half years ago, all the reading she had done had caused the stories to slowly fade into her memory and she felt slightly freer to release them. She had, of course, made a few additions to the narrative to make it her own and convince Matilda and her father that she was the one making them up. But they weren't hers, not really. They belonged to the man inside the hut who had lost his life in search of his precious little girl, Mari.

For years, Adrianna wondered what had happened to the child but she had no way of knowing. It would have been so long ago. She could only pray that the girl had found freedom. And perhaps a loving family who cared enough for her to protect her from that kind of pain again.

Unlike Hiccup.

Adrianna tried to push the thought far from her mind. She wanted to forget that she still doubted him. But it wasn't the sort of thing that could be forgotten. Over the last few years, her trust in her father had waned. She'd even stopped calling him "Daddy." Now he was Dad. She didn't even know when that had happened. One day she was his little girl, the next she was grown up. Why was she having these feelings now? Why didn't she trust a man she once believed to be the strongest man in the world? Why did thinking about him make her angry inside? What had he done to deserve her ire? Was it just that he hadn't come or... was there more?

The girl would have thought about it for a longer time if she hadn't heard a squawk from just in front of her. She opened her eyes and saw Pipsqueak, the family Terror, perched on Lily's head. Pipsqueak had a bit of parchment tied to her leg and she patiently allowed the Haddock girl to untie it and open it.

_Hiccup and Adri,_

_Finn and I are sick. Mara says I'm going to be fine but we can't get Finn's fever down. A few of our older people have already died (but Benen is still healthy). Those who died were already in poor health but I'm afraid someone younger will follow. Please come back soon._

_Astrid_

People had _died_. A horrible feeling of guilt overwhelmed the girl as she reread this section of the note. Sure, they were older and probably didn't have much time left but they were still family members, friends, acquaintances... there would be people in mourning and funerals for her father to conduct. She couldn't waste any more time.

Snow was falling thick and fast on the ground before she could make herself move and the dark clouds overhead were beginning to look ominous. She could hear things being shifted inside the hut. It sounded like her father was throwing things around with no real concern for Trista's belongings.

"Dad?" she shakily called.

She was sliding off her dragon. Lily lowered her head to make it easier as she slowly placed her foot on the snow-covered ground. The tiny crunch of her boot on icy snow made her jump. She lowered her other foot and clung to her dragon to keep her balance. The piercing cold, the snow on the ground, the hut still standing on the mountain... she was stepping right into her nightmares. She was beginning to feel nauseous and dizzy. Trying to walk forward was like trying to walk on the slipperiest ice. Her head felt precariously perched on her body, which barely held itself up. She could feel her dragon's snout on her back to help her keep her balance.

"I can do this." she whispered into the freezing air. "I can do this."

The hut swam in front of her eyes. It was getting closer and closer... her arm extended and her gloved hands pressed against the door. It took a few seconds to find the strength to push it open.

It was exactly as she had remembered it. Papers all over the walls and even hanging off the ceiling. Objects that had once belonged to her family strewn everywhere. A corner of the room with ropes that had held her tiny body in place.

But unlike her nightmares, now her father was sitting in the middle, going through everything in sight in the hopes that the plant would mysteriously appear.

Trista suddenly flashed in the girl's brain, smiling widely and putting the plant in a dark jar on one of the shelves. Adrianna's eyes flitted to the jar, which was still untouched.

"Addie... what is it?" Hiccup rose from where he was seated when his daughter pointed to a spot above his left shoulder. He turned and saw the small jar. "It's there?"

He hurried over to the jar and opened it. The plant was dry but its containment had preserved it fairly well. Just as he pocketed it, he turned and saw Adrianna wobbling on the spot. Suddenly knowing what was going to happen next, he rushed forward just as the girl's eyes fluttered closed and she lost consciousness. He caught her as she plummeted to the ground and held her close.

"Toothless!" he called, his heart racing as he checked to make sure Adrianna was still breathing.

The Night Fury burst in just as he sighed in relief at his daughter's steady breaths. Before he mounted his dragon, he put his ear to her chest just to make sure her heartbeat was steady. It was racing but strong. That had to be a good sign... didn't it?

His paternal instinct satisfied that his child wasn't in any immediate danger, he was suddenly gripped with fear as he looked outside the open door. There seemed to be a wall of snow descending upon the darkening landscape and he had very little time to act. It was going to be hard enough to fly back to the village but now he was also carrying a 95 pound girl and attempting to keep her warm (for the second time in the last week). And then he had to guide Lily back as well. There was no time to waste.

"All right, Addie," Hiccup muttered to her as he carefully mounted Toothless and held her close, "let's get you out of here."

As he and Toothless emerged from the house and took off, Lily following close behind, a gust of wind nearly knocked them off course. Hiccup couldn't see a thing through the blizzard. He was going to have to pray that he knew Berk well enough to direct the dragons to the village. He held Adrianna close to his chest while squinting through the snow to try to see where he was going.

As he flew, he couldn't help but feel frustration because they could have beaten the blizzard had his daughter found the courage to enter the house earlier. But another part was proud of her for even setting foot in the hut. His little girl was healing. Maybe one day, she would be free from Trista's clutches.

One day, but not today.

* * *

A heavy boom erupted through the Great Hall, making both healthy and ill inhabitants jump at the sudden noise. The onlookers watched as the wide doors opened with a mighty heave and a tall, thin man with a peg leg strode inside with a small blonde girl in his arms, swathed in a heavy cloak. The man's dark hair was nearly white from the raging blizzard outside so he was nearly unrecognizable except for the peg leg and the two dragons on his heels.

"Hiccup-"

"It's Hiccup!"

"The chief's back!"

Excited chatter ran through the crowds as Hiccup walked stiffly to the center of the Hall carrying Adrianna in his arms. Though he kept most of his focus on his daughter, his eyes continuously scanned the rows upon rows of the sick. He tried to make out Astrid and Finn in the masses, but couldn't seem to find them.

"Hiccup!"

Hiccup halted mid-step when Mara hurried toward him some beds nearby. Mara rested a hand on Adrianna's forehead and immediately asked, "What happened?"

"Long story," Hiccup rasped. "She only passed-"

"What's wrong with your voice?" Mara interrupted. Hiccup jerked away when she reached for his face to inspect his mouth, and the healer frowned. "Are you coughing?"

"I'm fine. The ingredients for the cure are in that satchel on Toothless' saddle. Except these, here." Hiccup took the Potens Sanationis and the list the Bog Burglars had given him out of his pocket and placed them in her hands. Where are Astrid and Finn?"

"Won't you at least let me look at-"

"I'm _fine_ , Mara."

"Adrianna?" Mara finished pointedly.

Hiccup sighed, jutting out his jaw as he gazed at the ceiling. "She's fine; she only had a hard day. Trust me."

"I _do_ trust you until you won't let me do my job-"

"Mara." Hiccup bit out her name, finally losing patience. "You need to make the cure immediately and I want to see my family. Now where _are_ they?"

Mara sighed and jerked her chin toward the back of the Hall. "They're back there. But brace yourself for the other families in the area."

Hiccup instantly walked toward the back when Mara turned to pull the satchel off of Toothless' back. The chief nodded toward anyone he made eye contact with, but didn't slow his pace in his search for his wife and son. At last he caught sight of Benen and Astrid on the other side of the Larson family's pillar.

A sharp gasp made Hiccup falter and he jerked at the sight of a blonde teenager leaping from a nearby bench. "ANNIE!"

Hiccup exhaled heavily, trying to slow his rapidly beating pulse from the short scare. "Erick," The chief paused, taking in the 15-year-old's haggard appearance, red eyes and tear-stained face. Hiccup shook his head to clear it and smiled at him gently. "She's okay. Just took a… tumble."

"Is she okay?" Erick asked quietly, his voice trembling. "Will she be?"

Hiccup nodded firmly. "Yes. She'll be fine, buddy. Don't worry." He noticed Benen perk from the next area over and he glanced back at Erick, "Sorry, I have to go-"

"It's fine, chief." Erick mumbled. "Stay with Finn while you can."

As Hiccup walked away, he registered Erick sitting back down on the bench and covering his face with his hands, vaguely wondering what a comment like that meant… until he passed the Larson's pillar, and he nearly dropped his daughter.

The Larson family huddled around a makeshift mat, pillow and blankets surrounding it in an apparent attempt to keep the occupant comfortable. Except a thin white sheet had been drawn over the body of the Larson patriarch: Olaf.

The air squeezed out of Hiccup's lungs when it registered: his friend, a counselor, a good, wise man, Olaf Larson, was _gone_. Every job Olaf had and every memory they shared raced through Hiccup's mind as he stared at the unmoving cloth.

Lara sat beside the mat with a stiff back, blank expression as she stared down at her husband's body. Gustav held his wife Mikaela at the head of the pillar while Magnus and Gregory quietly cried by the feet. Aud and her husband held each other tightly, and Nikolas sat by idly with an angry expression, ignoring all eye contact. Only Erick sat a yard or two away, alone. Hiccup stared in his direction for a bit, his heart aching for the teenager. He, too, had lost his father but losing him at such a young age... there was no way to understand that kind of pain. The pain of the days that were still to come, the memories that were still to be made now taken far too soon. Coming of age in just two years, marriage, children... everything that a young man had to look forward to to share with his family, his father looking on with pride... all of it blotted out of the prospective future in an instant. Hiccup couldn't imagine what it would be like to lose his father at such a young age and not share the wonderful things of young adulthood with him.

Gustav finally noticed him standing there and Hiccup drank in the grief written on his face. "When?" Hiccup asked in a raspy whisper.

Gustav swallowed thickly, running his hand through Mikaela's hair for a moment. "Half an hour ago."

Hiccup closed his eyes and pressed his lips together, a wave a grief washing over him. They'd gotten back _just_ late. Too late.

Staring at his only boot, he whispered, "I'm sorry."

He didn't wait for any response from the Larsons; he turned and walked toward his family, already feeling his shoulders tighten with grief and tension.

His prosthetic echoed in the corner and Benen stood from his seat, welcoming him into their secluded area with a warm hand on his shoulder. Fear ignited in Hiccup's chest at the sight of his Astrid hunched over the prone form of their son, pale, sweaty and weak. Astrid ran her fingers through Finn's hair until the sound of Hiccup's prosthetic announced his arrival; she looked up, weary but alert, and gasped at the sight of Adrianna in Hiccup's arms.

"Adri!" Astrid jumped to her feet, stumbling a bit and rushing to them. "What happened? What's wrong?"

"Hey hey," Hiccup eased her back. "I think she's okay. She just… had an accident, but I think she'll be okay. Here," Hiccup spread a few blankets out with the toe of his boot and carefully eased Adrianna down. Benen wordlessly placed a pillow beneath her head and tucked her in. Hiccup thanked him with a smile and stood again to speak to Astrid. His words were cut off by her arms tightening around his neck and holding on tight, her own labored breathing sounding in his ear.

"I was so scared you wouldn't get back in time," Astrid whispered.

Hiccup buried his face in her shoulder, his eyes not leaving his son's face. He wanted to say something encouraging but couldn't think of anything. He knew he couldn't wish to save everyone but… "I didn't." Astrid returned to her normal height and gazed up at him with confused eyes. "I… Olaf…" Hiccup sighed. "We were so close-"

"It's not your fault, Hiccup." Astrid whispered, running her fingers across the worn leather straps on his chest. "They tried everything they could and he just… couldn't hold on. His body was too weak."

Hiccup sighed and nodded, turning out of her arms and walking to Finn's cot. Benen had seated himself at the foot of Finn's bed to give them room by his head. Hiccup patted his shoulder gently as he sat down, then got a good look at Finn's condition.

The chief rested a palm on Finn's forehead and nearly recoiled at the heat radiating off his boy's face. Hiccup opened his mouth to speak but no words came out; he glanced at Astrid and Benen looking on sadly as he placed his other hand on the top of Finn's head. "He's burning up…"

Astrid nodded, swallowing thickly. "If he'd gotten sick like most people, he'd probably be able to fight it easier. But he worked himself so hard…" She stopped, biting her lip to keep her composure.

Benen took her place. "You should have seen him, Hiccup. He put up such a fight for these people, worked himself to the bone until he could work no more. Literally." The elderly man, patting the boy's knee sadly. "Of course we tried to prevent this from happening, but stubborn as he is..."

Hiccup nodded, noting the sweat accumulating at the base of Finn's neck, making his hair look darker than it actually was. Pale skin that made his freckles stand out even more, short, ragged breathing that made him sound older and frailer than he was. Desperation welled in Hiccup's chest and he forced himself to remain calm. If Astrid and Benen were holding on after being here all this time, he wouldn't lose it in the first ten minutes. But that didn't stop him from begging the gods for mercy.

They must have been listening for Mara walked to their group in the next few minutes with a steaming cup of the cure. It smelled terrible and everyone instinctively leaned away from it, but Mara quickly readied the siphon to pour it down Finn's throat. She quickly blew on the steaming mug so she wouldn't burn the poor boy's mouth and throat.

Hiccup cleared his throat. "Not that I don't want Finn to have it yet but… is there anyone else that needs it before him?" Astrid gaped at him like he was crazy.

Mara smiled understandingly. "Do you really think I'm the only one working right now? A few volunteers have started taking the cure to others who need it. But I'd already resolved in my mind that Finn would be one of the first. That being said…" Mara tilted Finn's head on her knees, placed the siphon in his mouth and carefully began to pour it.

Astrid and Benen sighed in relief when Finn swallowed all of it without problems. Hiccup glanced at them in surprise and Mara took the opportunity to explain: "He wasn't too keen on drinking his tea or water this morning."

Hiccup breathed a small snort. "Stubborn boy." He saw Benen smile from the corner of his eye.

Toothless waddled in behind Mara and crooned a greeting. He sniffed Finn's slack face, shaking his head at the remaining smell of the cure before realizing the sickness deep inside his boy's body. Moaning sadly, Toothless flopped on his belly and scooted closer until his black nose snuggled against Finn's shoulder. Astrid reached over and scratched one of his head plates lovingly.

"If anything changes, let me know," Mara stood with a small smile and hurried back to the cooking area where the cure was being kept.

Astrid sagged against Hiccup and sighed. "So. What happened with Adri?"

Hiccup frowned, turning his body to both include Benen and get more comfortable. "The last item on the list… it was a plant. The only place it is grown is several hundred miles from here, and we very well couldn't go that far to get it. Addie… she knew it was on the list the whole trip and didn't say anything to me about it. When she said the list was finished and we could go home, I looked at it and saw the last item. But…" Hiccup shook his head in frustration. Astrid and Benen waited patiently for him to continue. "She said we couldn't obviously go that far to get it, but the way she was acting, I knew she was hiding something. I just knew it. So eventually I got it out of her." Hiccup paused again, not wanting to speak the words on his mind next. At least his voice was still hoarse so he didn't have to worry about lowering his voice as much. "Trista…" Astrid immediately tensed beside him. "She had some… in her hut. And Addie remembered it, the whole time."

"How would she know the name?"

Hiccup closed his eyes and licked his lips. Then he looked straight into his wife's eyes. "Do you remember how… we always thought that we didn't know everything about what had happened? How little things would set her off? Things that didn't seem to make sense?"

Astrid nodded, memories resurfacing that she'd forbidden from her mind long ago.

"There was a man… I think he heard her crying for help." Hiccup gazed at Benen sadly for a moment. "I don't know what happened but I think maybe he tried to rescue her. Trista murdered him in front of… right in front of Addie. His name was Zebah. And he was an escapologist."

Astrid gasped. "Wait… that's why-"

"Why she got upset with that book."

Astrid sighed, resting a hand to her forehead and she gazed at her resting daughter a few feet away. "Oh, Adri…"

"The things that happened in that wretched place…" Hiccup shook his head, rage building in his chest again. "Things that we never even _dreamed_ of… they happened. It wasn't just the abuse, emotional and physical. It wasn't just the being tied up and having a dragon several times her size beat her down when her body was so tiny that she could have shattered. No. Trista destroyed every bit of innocence she had down to the very root. All Addie has ever known is fear and _that_ is what has haunted her day in and day out… and I didn't know enough to help her."

Astrid held Hiccup's arm in her hands. "You couldn't have known… we never went in the hut."

Hiccup scoffed, looking at his sleeping son. "How things could be different now if we had."

"How? What could have changed?"

"We could have addressed it."

"I don't know how that could have changed anything, Hiccup." Astrid sighed. "I'm not saying it wouldn't be worth it. But… I don't know."

"That's the point." Hiccup said through gritted teeth. "Now we'll never know."

"So why is she unconscious?" Astrid asked, staring at the still form of her daughter lying on the blankets.

"When we landed, she wouldn't get off her dragon. I couldn't get her to budge, not even when I told her there was a storm coming." Hiccup leaned his head against Astrid's with a deep frown. "She eventually came into the doorway and pointed out what jar the plant was in. I grabbed it and in the short time it took me to do that, she blacked out. I think the stress just... got to her. I... don't blame her, she was shaking and terrified to go near the hut, let alone inside. But... she cost us some time. I knew the storm was coming and... there was too much time wasted in that hut."

"By then it was too late to beat it back." Astrid's eyes flitted to the Larsons. "So Olaf..."

"We couldn't have known." Hiccup's lip wobbled for a moment before he clenched his jaw to remain composed. He shut his eyes and a tear rolled down his cheek, but he pressed through his thoughts. "But we might have gotten back before... before it happened."

Astrid gently wiped the tear away with the back of her hand. "You didn't get my note?"

"I didn't. If it was about what was happening here... I don't know, maybe Addie did and that's why she came in." Hiccup looked down at his daughter, his vision blurred by still more tears trying to force themselves out.

Finn jerked in his sleep with a sharp inhale, making the trio sit forward to check on him. Unfortunately, the teenager remained asleep and the adults were distracted long enough to miss the 15-year-old boy scramble from a nearby bench and stalk to the door with quick steps.

Benen sat back in his seat and clasped his fingers across his stomach. "Don't worry. That medicine will help him. He'll be all right."

Hiccup sighed, wiping his son's sweaty bangs off his forehead. "His fever's so high... if something happens to him, I'll-" Hiccup shook his head, willing himself to stay calm. "I'll never forgive myself for not coming home sooner."

Benen reached an arm over Astrid's back and gently squeezed Hiccup's shoulder. "Don't blame yourself. You did everything you could. All that's left to do is wait."


	15. Useless

Perhaps it had been wishful thinking to assume that everyone would immediately be healthy a few minutes after receiving the cure. Those who were recovering seemed to have been cured within minutes while others didn't show any signs of improvement. Within an hour, Taryn, Svala, and a few other younger people were being examined by Mara to see if they could go home. Those related to the people who were recovering seemed to be breathing collective sighs of relief.

Tuffnut remained near Svala's mat. He was supposed to pack up the few things they had brought but his mind was most understandably elsewhere. The disease had taken some of the most beloved elderly people on Berk, including the healer before Mara. Seeing Tasha's body being carried out had brought back childhood memories of broken bones and illnesses for which he and Ruffnut had received treatment. Even the lectures she would deliver as she set their bones and bandaged their cuts still rang in his ears. She had even delivered them years ago. That thought seemed to put a knife through his heart as his eyes focused on the bloodstain still tainting the stone floor. Mara had delivered his and Svala's little son. The silence that followed his birth had been the most agonizing thing Tuffnut had ever heard. He never knew the echoing silence could be so gut-wrenching. Without even realizing he was doing it, he began to trace the outlines of stained stone. They were going to name their baby Devin...

He felt a hand on his shoulder and started. Ruffnut stood above him, a sorrowful expression on her face. Tuffnut knew she had been home with the kids who were still healthy but he supposed, now that the cure was distributed, it was safe for her to come in. He slowly stood up and faced her, his eyes unable to meet hers.

"I'm almost done here." he said in a low voice.

Ruffnut acted like she hadn't heard him. Her arms brought him in for a hug and held him tight. He put his head on her shoulder and sniffled, trying his best to keep it together.

"Next time." Ruffnut whispered. "I promise."

"Yeah." Tuffnut sighed deeply as a tear ran down his face. "Next time."

As Ruffnut and Tuffnut embraced, Snotlout and Heather blankly watched Mara examining those who recovered the fastest. Inga remained unconscious, moving only to shift positions. They kept a close eye on her but, thankfully, she had no other episodes. Heather rested her head on her husband's shoulder and closed her eyes.

"She'll be okay." she breathed. "She's a Jorgenson. She'll pull through."

Snotlout sighed deeply as he allowed his wife to lean on him. They were empty words. They both knew it. Heather coped with difficult situations by talking about how much better things would get. Sometimes she was right, such as when there had been complications with the twins but they had been born healthy anyway. Other times, however, she was wrong. It was what she did when she received word from home that, in the midst of dry season, there had been an enormous raging fire and her parents had perished trying to escape. She said it had to have been a mistake. Her parents _couldn't_ have died so suddenly. And yet Cale still came on the next ship. He still sulked around and lashed out at everyone. Snotlout remembered holding her as the reality of what had happened sank in and she had cried for hours. The words never did any good.

So why would this be any different?

Their daughter was a strong girl, that much was true. But he had seen the wound on her head. The odds of her waking up waned the longer she remained unconscious. Every moment, he tried to emotionally prepare himself for the worst but the idea of his baby girl dying in his arms made him want to cry. And he wasn't going to cry again. The Jorgenson women had made his life so much sweeter by their very presence so it was his job to stay strong for them.

The very familiar step- _thunk_ of Hiccup's walk alerted the Jorgensons to his presence. Snotlout looked up at him and immediately looked back down, his heart constricting uncomfortably. For some reason, though he wasn't entirely certain why, he felt some of the worst guilt he'd ever had in his life. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Hiccup lower himself to his knees to get a better look at Inga.

"Astrid told me what happened." he said quietly, as if raising his voice would wake the sleeping girl. "I am so sorry."

The reason for the guilt suddenly hit Snotlout and he felt like someone had run his heart through with a spear. He exhaled in a sudden sigh.

"I know what you're thinking." he mumbled. "I'm sorry. For ever implying that Anna wasn't important enough to save."

"Snotlout-"

"No, you were right. I should have supported you when you needed it. I know it was almost a decade ago but... I'm so sorry." Snotlout brushed a few strands of hair out of his daughter's face. "I understand now. The uncertainty... the fear... gods, I'm _so_ sorry."

"Shh." Hiccup patted Snotlout's hand. "Don't. I didn't come here to rub it in your face. I would never do that."

"I know." Snotlout held his daughter closer, resting his forehead against hers. "But it had to be said."

"Let me know if you need anything." Hiccup rasped, looking sadly at the Jorgenson girl. "Anything at all. Okay?"

"Thanks." Snotlout muttered.

Hiccup stood up and looked around, watching people removing the dead, others taking the cure, and still others gathered around those who had not yet recovered. As his gaze fixed on the Larsons, he saw Gustav's youngest son crying on Mikaela's shoulder. Erick was sitting in the back, staring blankly at the wall. As he watched, Magnus tried to engage the boy in conversation but he didn't respond. His only movements were to wipe tears off of his face with the back of his hand. Hiccup thought about going over and trying to get through to him but decided against it. If Erick wasn't responding to his own family, there wasn't much the chief could do.

In that moment, as he continued to scan the crowd, Hiccup had never felt more useless. It wasn't that he regretted leaving to get the cure, far from it, but he didn't feel like he could provide any words of comfort to those who had suffered a loss. He didn't even know most of the people who had died. Aside from Olaf and Tasha, he'd only known the others who had died by sight. Most had been friends with his grandfather, for Thor's sake. What was he supposed to do? What was he supposed to say at all of the funerals? Did he even have to say anything? He suddenly had so many families to talk to, arrangements to make, people to comfort... it was overwhelming.

No one approached him as he stood in the center of the Hall so he decided to go back to his family and help Astrid care for Finn. His wife had recovered quite a bit in the hour since she had received the cure. Their son, on the other hand, was still feverish and no amount of cool cloths on his head seemed to be doing any good.

"Hey." Astrid kissed his cheek as he sat down next to her. "How are the Jorgensons?"

"Stressed. Scared." Hiccup sighed deeply. "Not that I blame them. Gods, I hope Inga will be okay."

"She has a good chance." Benen said as he wiped some sweat off of Finn's eyelids. "She's strong and she's held it together so far. I think it's only a matter of time."

Hiccup opened his mouth to reply when a small groan emanated from a nearby mat. Adrianna's eyes fluttered open and stared around the room.

"Dad?"

Hiccup crawled over to her and helped her sit up. "I'm here, Addie. You're in the Great Hall. Mara says you're fine, just had a little spill."

Adrianna shook off his hands and gave him an almost exasperated look. "I remember what happened."

"Good. Listen... I have to tell you something." Hiccup resisted the urge to brush her bangs out of her eyes; she didn't seem to want physical affection right now. "We came back in time to save a lot of people, Addie. I want you to remember that. But..." he audibly swallowed before continuing. "Olaf Larson died before we got back."

His daughter's eyes widened at this news. "Erick's dad?"

Hiccup nodded, his breathing shaky as he tried to hold back the waves of emotion threatening to burst from him. "They did the best they could. But he couldn't hold on any longer."

Adrianna's lip trembled and tears spilled down her face. "Oh... no..." she sniffled loudly. "Erick..."

Hiccup took a breath and was about to reply when he saw movements out of the corner of his eye.

Astrid leaned forward and rested her hand against Finn's forehead. She gasped lightly and a small smile formed on her face. "His fever broke. His fever broke!"

Hiccup quickly joined her and rested a palm on his son's sweaty face. Finn hummed in his sleep, stirring slightly but not waking.

The chief sighed in relief and smiled wide at Benen, who seemed to shine brightly with happiness. "He's going to be okay! He's going to be fine."

It was all the father could do to keep his joy capped. Astrid, however, rested her forehead against her son's, thankful tears rolling down her face.

Adrianna smiled weakly at her brother's apparent healing before searching the crowd with her eyes. She finally spotted Erick across the Hall, staring at nothing. The girl hopped to her feet and raced over, running into several people on the way and barely stopping long enough to mumble apologies. Erick didn't look up to acknowledge that he had heard her. He continued to stare at the wall, tears falling down his face.

The girl suddenly stopped mid run, which nearly caused her to trip. Something about this was... off. Not quite right. This was Erick, her best friend... so what was wrong?

Then it hit her. He was crying.

In the last decade of friendship, Erick had been her rock. When she needed a good cry, he was there with a handkerchief and a hug. But, in all those years, Adrianna couldn't think of a single time in which he was the one crying. She'd seen him excited, anxious, nervous, angry, even sad... but he had never cried. Not in front of her, anyway. How had she never noticed? What kind of a friend was she to let herself cry all over him when she never once returned the favor?

Well, today was as good a day as any to start doing for him what he had always done for her.

"Erick..." she mumbled, inching forward and opening her arms the tiniest bit so she could hug him if he needed it. "I'm so sorry about what happened. Everything will be ok-"

Erick turned his puffy eyes to face her and the oddest expression crossed his face. Almost... scathing. The girl took a step back, suddenly alarmed.

"You." he nearly spat, his voice hoarse from exhaustion and grief.

Adrianna blinked in surprise but still made a poor attempt at smiling. "I'm here now. Everything will be okay."

"OKAY?" Erick shouted very suddenly, jumping to his feet and getting right in Adrianna's face. "Who are you to tell me whether anything will _ever_ be okay again?"

Adrianna stumbled back so quickly she tripped and bumped into a nearby bench. The wood screeched in the sudden silence of the Hall, and she suddenly became aware of dozens of eyes focused on her. But she kept her focus on her hurting friend.

"Wh-what am I supposed to-"

"My father is dead." Adrianna nearly gasped at the frankness in his voice. Erick clenched his jaw and plowed through his thoughts. "He was dying all week. Fevers, wet, heaving coughs, cold sweats, couldn't keep food or water down, and more. Nothing Mara could do could help him. I'd put my faith and trust in you and when it happened I thought maybe you just couldn't get back in time. There was nothing to be done."

"Erick-"

"Is it true then? You sat up there with the last ingredient in your grasp and you couldn't just get a grip for _two minutes_ to bring it?"

"Who told you that?" Adrianna breathed, her face growing hot.

"My father is _dead_ because of you and your _weakness_! You could've gotten back in time! He died half an hour before you got back!"

Hiccup emerged from the crowd a moment later with his hand already held out in a placating manner. "Erick..." Erick whipped his gaze to the chief and his body seemed to shake with fury. "Hey, you need to calm down-"

"Why didn't _you_ try harder? Force her to do what was needed instead of babying her, like you always do?"

A few women gasped nearby as Hiccup blanched. Never had anyone heard the boy speak out so boldly, let alone against his close friend. "Don't talk to me." He turned back to Adrianna with a scathing look, "As for you? I don't want anything more to do with you. You're a selfish brat that won't stop putting herself before everything in life, even when some things are more important."

"Erick-" Hiccup tensed."

My father's name is on your ledger, Adrianna. As are some others here I'm sure. Nothing you can say or do, no hugs or letting me cry on your shoulder will change the fact that you've taken my _father_ from me!" Erick's lip trembled and he barely managed to keep composure. "Get away from me Adrianna. Don't talk to me. Don't come over. Don't even look at me. We're done."

Before Adrianna had time to react, he grabbed a book off the table before stomping over and shoving it into her arms. He then turned on his heel and walked out of the Hall without another word.

Hiccup stared at the door for several seconds, his mouth slightly agape. Erick's words still echoed in his ears. A part of him was almost convinced he'd imagined this. The Erick Larson he knew never acted this way. _Never_ said such horrible things to his daughter. Then again, under the circumstances he couldn't be expected to act normal. He was grieving; he didn't mean all of those things and of course he would forgive Addie-

 _Addie_.

He looked over at his little girl and his heart sank. Her hands clutched the book, her head had fallen so that her forehead nearly rested on it, and her shoulders were shaking. He hesitated for a moment, unsure of what to do. Were his daughter a tiny child, he would have immediately gotten on his knees and scooped her up into his arms, holding her close until she couldn't cry any longer. But his little girl wasn't a little girl anymore. She needed comfort but not in a coddling way. She was a young lady now, so that's how he would treat her. Gently, lovingly. He would be her rock like he should be, even when her best friend failed her. Almost instinctively, his hand reached out and slowly rested on her shoulder. She didn't move. Her breathing came in short gasps just as several of her tears slowly fell down the back of the book.

"Addie. Just give him time. He'll come back around, you'll see." Hiccup relaxed a bit when the crowd began to murmur amongst themselves. Thankfully the attention began to draw away from them. "Everything will be okay."

"No it won't." Adrianna muttered in a hollow voice.

"Yes it will, you'll see. These things happen and gods know I fell apart for a while after my dad died. And he's a lot younger. Losing a parent is a terrible thing..."

Adrianna stared down at his prosthetic and tuned out his words. For some reason, she didn't want to hear it. The more he talked, the more his words seemed to take a skewed, twisted form to mean the opposite of what he meant.

Everything would be okay. Things hadn't been okay in years. Promises to always be there. He was never there when he was needed the most. And these things happen because it's a part of life. These things, these tragedies all seemed to be a part of her life.

And it just kept getting worse by the day.

Adrianna ground her teeth together as she felt her blood boil. She tried to find some other source that fueled her anger, but nothing would suffice. There was only one man responsible for all of her life's struggles: her nightmares, feeling abandoned, never being accepted, the loss of Erick's father, the loss of the one and only friend that she ever had...

It was _his_ fault. And nothing she could think, say, or do would convince her stubborn mind otherwise.

"Your fault." Adrianna mumbled stiffly, the words jerky in her mouth.

Hiccup paused mid sentence, thrown off from his tangent and confused for a moment before recovering. "One more time, Addie? I didn't catch-"

"This is _your_ fault." Something hot and thick rushed through Adrianna's body and she suddenly felt bold, dangerous even. Unstoppable. She snapped her gaze up to him and his green eyes widened in shock.

"Addie... baby-"

"DON'T call me that!" Adrianna roared and Hiccup jerked backwards as if he'd been hit. When had she suddenly gotten such a strong voice?

The Great Hall continued on its course, the people determined to ignore the second round of drama, but no one could ignore what the young Haddock girl shouted next.

"Why would you tell me that everything is going to be okay? Why would you make me promises that you can't keep?" Adrianna shouted at her father, who stared down at her with wide eyes.

Hiccup glanced away for a moment, searching for Astrid for backup. Screaming matches were Finn's area of expertise, not Adrianna's. He honestly didn't know what to do. "Addie, please calm-"

"When have you EVER kept a promise? How many times have I held up on my end of something and you NEVER give back? And now when everything falls apart with the only friend I have ever had, you have the audacity to tell me that everything will be _okay_? That I need to just give Erick time and he'll come back?"

"Addie, please stop yelling." Hiccup pleaded.

"No! I won't! Because for once in my life I'm accepting what everyone has ever said to be true, and I want every single person to hear it!" Adrianna marched forward and jabbed her finger into Hiccup's chest, making him back up like it was a lethal weapon. "You are a _liar_ and a useless coward-"

"Addie!"

"-can't keep a single promise that you make me-"

"Please stop-" Hiccup's back hit a pillar, trapped between stone and his angry child.

"-I wish I'd never believed in you! Hel, I wish maybe I would've just died in that hut at Trista's hand, it would've saved me a whole lot of pain and struggle wouldn't it?"

People were gasping now as Astrid and Benen emerged from the crowd nearby. Astrid walked forward quickly, still shoving people aside, "Adrianna, stop this-"

"My life is a living Hel because _you_ didn't show up and I've had to pick up my own pieces ever since! And I'm TIRED of waiting for you to act like you care!" Hiccup's throat bobbed as she talked, trying desperately to hold himself together. Adrianna continued angrily, "Everything you have ever said to me is useless and void, and I won't be wasting another second with you! So I hope you're happy, _dad_ , because you won't be fixing this. There's nothing left for you to break and you couldn't fix it if you tried. So just go away."

Adrianna raised her arm and slammed the book down at Hiccup's feet, ripped the flower she had been wearing out of her hair, and turned in time to dodge Astrid's grabbing hand, and stalked out of the Great Hall with a tearless face and her head held high like it never had been before.

Hiccup watched Adrianna walk out until she disappeared from view. His throat hurt no matter how many time she swallowed. His Adam's Apple felt like it had been punched in. His stomach felt like he'd drunk a jug of yaknog. He looked away from the place his daughter last stood, trying to find some place to look to regain composure.

Eyes everywhere. Most people looked away in sadness, resuming their tasks, but he still felt exposed to everyone's stare. Even staring at his one boot and prosthetic was unsettling because there it lay. The book full of stories about the space man and his friends that he shared with his baby girl since she was ten years old and snuggling up next to him by the fire, singing songs, and begging for "just one more chapter" before bedtime. And next to it, one of the hair flowers he'd so carefully made, the little jewels scattered on the ground beneath the book and several detached petals still slowly drifting downward.

The thought threatened to tumble him over the edge and he tensed. Should he chase after her like he always did? Should he walk away? Try to help people around him like a chief should do? Bury himself in his work to hide grief and pain like his father always did? What should he do?

Benen became his hero right then when he bent down and picked up the book with gentle fingers, brushed off the dirt, and steered Hiccup away from unwanted eyes back toward Finn's mat where he still lay asleep.

Every step felt heavy and guilt and sadness washed over his soul. He almost wished he would get sick instead of deal with this stabbing pain in his gut. He glanced at Finn as he walked by, hoping to use his son's progression back to health to ground himself. But another wave of misery washed over him at the realization that if they'd come any later, Finn could be gone too. He allowed Finn to go on the trip to visit the Bogs, he asked Olaf to come even though the risks with his wheelchair were high anyway. The sickness coming to Berk was _his_ fault. Adrianna was right. This entire thing was his fault.

Hiccup stood against the pillar facing he back wall where he wouldn't be seen and buried his face in his hands. His shoulders shook in silent pain, still trying to hold himself together.

Wordlessly, Benen wrapped his arms around his friend in a comforting hug and sadly listened to Hiccup's choppy breathing. After nearly a minute, Hiccup pulled the elderly man closer. Benen wished he could say something comforting that could ease the man's pain. Everything would be okay, this is just a hard phase, she didn't mean it. But everything wouldn't necessarily just _be_ okay. This was a hard phase, and there was no reason to state the obvious. And worst of all, Benen deeply feared that Adrianna _did_ mean it.

A person can only be pushed so far until they snap. Benen had learned that over the years as a slave, whether he learned from experience or careful observation. But one way or another, he saw it time and time again: every person has his or her limits. Adrianna was clearly at hers-there would be no dumbing down her pains and sorrows anymore. And Hiccup... well, there was only so much he could do for his grieving and recovering village, but his family on top of it? That much stress would drive anyone mad.

But to be publicly hated and criticized and cut so deeply by someone so fiercely important? Benen was a wise man. But every wise man knows that sometimes no wisdom in the world can fix things.

Hiccup lifted his head and wiped his face with the back of his hand. He was muttering unintelligibly but Benen definitely heard the words "can't lose it" in the utterances.

"Hiccup, don't hold it in. It's okay to let it out, no one will judge you after witnessing that." Benen said quietly.

Hiccup gently shook his head. "I c-can't break down. Not now."

"The last thing you need right now is emotional repression. Trust me on this." Benen reached into his pocket and brought out a handkerchief, which he handed to his friend.

Hiccup caught sight of Astrid slowly walking toward them, carefully holding the remnants of the flower in her hands.

"W-what could I have done that day... those days to have come sooner?" Astrid's face fell in empathy and Hiccup continued, "I-I could have done better, tried hard-"

"No." Astrid interrupted, gently pulling him closer to her but still including Benen. "You did everything you could to find her that day. Those days. Don't focus on those what ifs. Trista destroyed her trust in us, and it does make sense. It's no less painful, but we can't blame Adri."

"But neither should you tear yourself down for it." Benen agreed, resting a hand on Hiccup's shoulder when he sniffed and wiped at his face again. "You did _everything_ you could. One day she will see that and she will see how much you _do_ love her."

"And if she doesn't?" Hiccup asked shakily. "What if she decides that she doesn't need me anymore and leaves? Never comes back?"

"You're her father." Benen replied quietly. "You will do whatever is necessary to protect her. Even if it's from herself."

"It's not just her though." Hiccup wiped his eyes again, the handkerchief becoming more damp in his hands. "The whole village... all those people who died because we brought that disease back from the Bogs..."

"Hiccup," Astrid reached out and took his face in her hands, waiting for him to look her in the eye. "We can't prevent what we can't predict. You know that as well as I do."

"And that goes for anything that's happened." Benen added. "You couldn't possibly have known about Trista or this disease."

Hiccup sighed heavily, glancing at the far corner of the Hall. "Where am I supposed to start? I mean... I feel like I need to try to talk to Addie, though my rational side says to give her space." He paused to clear his throat, still raspy from his cold. "But I feel like the village needs me more... Not more, I don't know about more but... more- I don't know, there's... There's just too much to do. I've never felt so... useless."

"You're not." came a quiet voice to the right of the group. Snotlout stood beside them, his eyes still averting Hiccup's. "Useless, I mean. You're a great dad and a great chief."

"Snotlout, this is not the time nor the place for flattery." Astrid said carefully, unsure of her old friend's intentions for barging into their conversation.

"I agree." Snotlout stepped up and finally looked Hiccup in the eye. "Which is why what I'm about to say is completely honest." he paused for a moment before continuing. "You're one of the bravest men I've ever known."

Hiccup stared at Snotlout for several seconds before speaking. "What?"

"Hiccup, you have saved our village on countless occasions and that's why everyone else considers you a hero. But that's not why I do." Snotlout took a deep breath. "You're a hero because you don't let anything take you down. When Trista took Anna, you searched for her tirelessly, relentlessly, and you got her back. When Dagur threatened your family, you went against everything you ever believed in and killed him. That's why I was so angry when you went off the deep end six and a half years ago."

"Snotlout-"

"No, let me finish. You need to hear this." Snotlout's voice became firmer, more confident. "Not long ago, I might have thought that Anna had a point, that you were showing up too late and partially to blame for what happened. But..." he looked over at his unconscious daughter still lying on the mat near the fireplace. "I couldn't protect Inga from what happened. I couldn't have known she was going to get hurt. And that thought haunts me every second. I can't eat, I can't sleep... I know what you went through. And I know for certain that what happened to Anna _wasn't_ your fault. And that you're strong enough to keep on going, even if your daughter never wants to speak to you again. Heck, she's going to forgive you because you're going to be every bit as relentless as you were when she was kidnapped. At least..." Snotlout gave him a weak smile. "That's what the Hiccup I know would do."

There was a long pause. Hiccup, Astrid, and Benen were looking at the burly Viking with equal expressions of surprise. It was rare for Snotlout to be this candid. Even rarer for him to pay Hiccup a compliment. Snotlout, however, seemed to be mulling something over for several seconds. He looked away and furrowed his brow before making eye contact again.

"And I may have blamed you for a few... other things." Snotlout finally averted his gaze. "They weren't your fault either. I'm sorry."

"Thank you." Hiccup sniffled and nodded to his friend. "That helped."

Snotlout patted Hiccup on the shoulder. "Good because if you repeat anything I just said, I'll deny it."

"And he's back." Astrid muttered under her breath.

Their friend narrowed his eyes at Astrid for a second before heading over to get some drinking water for his wife. Hiccup took a deep breath and wiped his eyes again.

"He's right." he mumbled. "I can't give up. Not on her or Finn or the village." he slowly scanned the Hall with his eyes before making a decision. "I can't do everything myself. But I can do my share. Right now, I'm going to help some of these people pack up. It's small but..." he sighed. "It's something."

"That's all you need to do." Astrid kissed his still damp cheek. "Something."


	16. Coming Back Around

Finn had always been an active boy. Ever since the day he took his first steps, he was running all over the village like he owned the place, getting into things and causing all sorts of mischief. This hadn't changed when he began to grow into his teenage years, except now he had an affinity for wrestling with the boys his age, hunting trips with Helga, and other sorts of activities that taxed him physically.

He loved it: pushing his limits to see how far he could go, feeling the muscles in his arms shake with strain, and feeling the sweat accumulate on his brow during hard work. Those were the times that he truly felt like a man, despite his obvious teenage features. Naturally, after every long and hard day, he'd crash in his bed, completely exhausted, ready the next morning to spring out of bed at the crack of dawn to begin a new day.

Never before had Finn experienced so much exhaustion. And never before had he come to the frank conclusion in his mind that he was most certainly _not_ ready to spring out of bed and he was definitely _not_ ready to begin a new day. The sun would have to rise without him today. Whatever day it was.

His mind felt foggy, his thoughts sluggish. His entire body felt heavy and weak like he'd had to carry a whole deer across the entire island by himself. It was a struggle to recall what he did last. He remembered hunting for deer with Helga and… fish? No, he had to fix a fishing net or something, right?

With a short exhale, Finn finally opened his eyes to find himself lying on his back in the Great Hall. A quick, concerned glance to his left revealed the Hall mostly empty beyond nearby tables and benches. Confusion stunned him as he again tried to remember the last thing that happened, when a big, warm hand rested on his forehead. Finn slightly jumped at the touch and turned his head to the right but relaxed when he saw who it was.

"Hey buddy," Hiccup whispered with a soft smile. "It's okay, you're all right now."

Finn frowned. All right? He felt sluggish but he didn't feel terrible. What did he mean? "Waz…" The teenager started and cleared his throat, shocked at how thin and weak it sounded. "What's wrong? What happened?"

Hiccup adjusted his blankets carefully, so as to not disturb Astrid sleeping with her head in his lap. Finn took note of Benen sleeping against a few propped up pillows at the next pillar as his father replied. "You passed out; worked yourself too hard while you were sick."

"Oh…" Finn's brow furrowed. "Wait, but I wasn't sick."

"Mara thinks you worked so hard and didn't get a proper amount of rest that your immune system was working overtime. Basically, you crashed." Hiccup gave his son a stern eye for a moment. "I know I said to help your mother and the village, but I didn't mean work yourself to the bone."

"Dad, there was too much to do. I couldn't waste time."

Hiccup nodded. "I understand. A chief's work is never done. There's always going to be something to do, someone to help. But that doesn't mean you don't take time for yourself. Even if it means stepping outside for five minutes of fresh air – it's necessary."

"And that's why you take random flights with Toothless now and then."

"Yes," Hiccup affirmed, "It's our little bit of time to just relax and breathe without being badgered. It's practically medicinal."

Finn snorted and rubbed his angry throat with his fingertips. Hiccup returned a moment later with a small cup of water, which Finn drank gratefully. He wiped his lips with his sleeve before settling back into his pillow. "So…how long was I out then?"

"Oh…" Hiccup paused in thought. "About a day and a half… almost two."

" _Two days?_ " Finn asked incredulously. "Gods, that explains why I feel so sluggish. I haven't done anything."

"You're sluggish because your body is trying to get rid of the sickness and catch up on rest," Hiccup replied in a careful voice. "Finn… buddy…"

Finn raised an eyebrow when his father stopped, a strange expression on his face. It wasn't sad and it wasn't happy, but almost a mix between the two. He felt like he was being scrutinized and weighed lick a sack of grain to be bought. "What?"

A corner of Hiccup's mouth lifted a bit. "I want you to listen to me carefully, okay? First off, I want to apologize that you had to work so hard-"

"Dad, I wanted to. I had to-" Finn argued.

"No, I know Finn." Hiccup held out a hand in a placating manner. "I'm not saying that it wasn't necessary. But you're only thirteen. That's a lot of responsibility for a young man to take on. But that leads to my second point," The Haddock patriarch smiled wide for a moment before continuing, "I am so, _so_ proud of you, for everything that you did for our people. The father inside me cringes at the thought of you literally passing out in exhaustion from everything that you had to do, but he can't help but swell with pride at how hard you worked for your people. You saw what needed to be done and you didn't give up or stop. It's not easy for someone with little experience to handle something so stressful, let alone for that long. Words can't express how proud you made me this week, Finn. And I don't want you to ever forget it."

Finn stared at his father, speechless. He didn't know what to say or do in response. Finally, he opted to close his mouth and shrug with a timid, "Thanks, Dad."

Hiccup ruffled his son's hair playfully. "No, thank you. I heard several good things."

Finn smiled, turning his eyes to the sleeping forms of his mother and Benen. He turned a bit to see Toothless and Stormfly sleeping nearby. But in a sudden burst of curiosity, he asked, "Where's Anna?"

Hiccup's face fell instantly and Finn suddenly felt guilty, like he reopened a fresh wound. His father looked across the Great Hall with a deep sadness in his eyes that the teen hadn't seen in a long, _long_ time.

"She's… she's not dead, is she?" Finn quietly asked and his father jerked.

"No! Ah…no. She's, uh…" Hiccup swallowed, playing with a strap on his leather jacket. "She's at home."

"What happened?" Finn asked through a yawn, genuinely curious to know.

Hiccup smiled weakly and shook his head. "Don't worry about it right now. Your mother and I will fill you in tomorrow when you're more awake."

Finn felt himself drooping and scowled through another yawn. "I don't wanna… ugh sleep more."

"Don't fight it. You'll be up and at 'em again in no time if you just let it happen." Hiccup brushed his son's bangs off his forehead gently as Finn closed his eyes.

"Love ya, Dad." Finn mumbled just before dropping off into a peaceful sleep.

With a thankful smile, the Haddock father whispered, "I love you too, buddy."

Hiccup rested his hand on Astrid's back gently and adjusted himself against Toothless to sit more comfortably. Thoughts of his daughter flooded his mind again and another wave of grief came over him. He shook his head and closed his eyes. Tomorrow was another day, and sometimes even the chief needs to rest.

* * *

Finn awoke the next morning feeling more rested than he had the night before. He stretched long and hard enough to emit an embarrassing squeak. He cleared his throat to cover it but still heard a soft chuckle beside him. He turned at the familiar sound and brightened instantly at Benen sitting beside him.

"Good morning, sunshine." Benen grinned widely, a rough palm already on the boy's forehead to check his temperature.

"Benen," Finn smiled, for some reason feeling a tad emotional. He could see the joy in his best friend's eyes at seeing him awake and talking, which spoke volumes. He must have been really sick if Benen was this overjoyed.

"You're looking much better than you were last night." Benen beamed. "I don't want to seem harsh, but don't you ever, _ever_ do that gain, do you hear me?" Finn looked away sheepishly but couldn't fully cover the smile on his face. Benen shook his head. "Ah, come here, little man." Finn still felt weak as he carefully sat up, but hugged Benen tightly.

"Not so little anymore." Finn mumbled into his shoulder.

Benen swallowed thickly, willing himself to keep his composure. "You'll always be little to me."

Finn snorted and pulled back to look around when a wave of dizziness hits him. "Whoaaa..." The teenager put his head in his hands as the elderly man steadied him with a hand on his shoulder. "I'm fine."

"You are, but you're still weak. We need to get some proper food into you today. Why don't you lie back down and I'll get you some stew." Benen offered.

Finn opened his mouth to reply as he lay back down, but a swish of skirts from the other side of his mat interrupted him. "Well, look who's finally decided to wake up." Mara smiled down at him and handed a bowl of stew to Benen.

"Hi Mara," Finn greeted her sheepishly. Mara grinned at him knowingly and finally sighed, "All right, I admit it. I should've listened to you. You were right." Benen stifled a laugh with his hand at Mara's preening expression.

"And don't you forget it." Mara sat down beside him and checked his temperature with the back of her hand, then inspected his tongue. "You seem to be healing quite nicely. How are you feeling?"

Finn shrugged dismissively, "I'm okay. A little hungry, I guess."

"He did experience some dizziness after he sat up." Benen explained in a grandfatherly way. Finn stuck his tongue out at his friend and the old man cutely waved at him.

Mara snickered at their antics and replied, "Yes, dizziness is one of the after effects. You need to take it easy. I'm giving you permission to move around but very carefully and not far from your mat. The Hall is mostly clear of the ill now, so I may have you and Inga Jorgenson moved to my house. Just to keep you both close."

Finn and Benen nodded in agreement, though the teenager frowned a little. He wanted to go home, but deep down understood why it wasn't yet meant to be.

"Finn!"

Mara smiled knowingly and stood to give Astrid room to tackle her son. The blonde slid to the boy's mat and nearly yanked him out of the sheets in a tight hug, crushing his face into her shoulder so that he began to whine and moan.

"Mom… Mom, I can't breathe… kinda dizzy."

Mara tapped the mother's shoulder and sweetly remarked, "Astrid, remember what we talked about-"

"Zip it, doc, I'm bonding with my baby who almost died." Astrid snipped and both Finn and Benen guffawed in laughter.

Mara rolled her eyes and turned away. "Oh, what do I know? If he throws up all over you because you're handling him too much, then don't blame me."

"I changed this kid's diapers and worse, I can handle his puke too." Astrid announced, pulling Finn up to inspect his face and prying his mouth open with her fingers.

"Ach…" Finn remarked irritably. Benen snickered and the boy turned on him, still trying to pull away from his mother's probing fingers. "Shtap Begeng, dis ishn't fungy– gah Mom! Fingers out of mouth, that's disgusting! Ach and then the sloppy, wet… UGH KISSES. MAKE IT STOP!"

Benen laughed heartily now at the scene, Astrid planting kisses all over Finn's disgruntled face. Finn yanked and twisted as far away from her as he could, but only became more twisted in the sheets. Astrid landed one more kiss on her son's forehead before hugging him again.

"Don't you ever, _ever_ do that to me again! Do you hear me? EVER."

"Yes Mom, because I totally did that on purpose."

"In a way, you did!"

"I'm keeping you on your toes."

"You're giving me gray hair."

"Mom, I've told you this before- you'd still be beautiful."

Benen snorted, "Lay on the sugar."

"Pipe down, you." Finn poked the old man with a finger.

Astrid hugged her son one last time, pulling him tight to her chest. "I thought I was going to lose you. I was so scared."

Finn sighed softly and embraced her warmly. "I'm not going anywhere, Mom." He then smirked mischievously. "I've got so much work to do if I'm going to drive you and Dad crazy one day."

"Ha ha ha, you are so _funny_ , Finn." Astrid pinched his cheek. She laughed suddenly and pinched both of his cheeks, stretching them outwards to show his teeth. "HA! Benen, look!"

Benen leaned over and raise and eyebrow, confused at the scene until he took note of Finn's unamused expression in the boy's eyes. The old man laughed and shook his head at Astrid. "What on earth are you doing to the poor boy? Hasn't he had enough?"

"Hiccup and I used to do this when he was a baby. It's still cute with his pudgy wittle cheeks-"

Finn finally snapped his head back, "Mom, seriously. This poor boy has handled quite enough this week."

"Fine, fine, fine."

Finn scrubbed his face with his hands for a moment before grimacing. "Ugh, I need a bath."

Astrid's eyebrows shot up. "What? My little Finn admitting that he needs a bath too? What is this world coming to?"

"Hehehe…" Finn gave her a false smile. "Hilarious. Anyway, where's Dad?"

"Ah, he was helping some families move back into their homes earlier." Benen replied, his eyes milling the Hall. "He didn't sleep much last night so I know he got up early."

Finn tisked his tongue and shook his head. "That's a terrible habit to get into. Someone should talk to him about that."

Astrid snorted and began folding a few blankets. "How about you tell him yourself? You take a little walk around the Hall with your stew and I'll go find him."

"Nah, it's okay. I'll see him later. I don't want to badger him-"

"It's not a problem." Astrid insisted and stood. Finn raised an eyebrow as she planted one last kiss on his head before turning toward the doors. "Don't stray too far from your mat. And eat all your stew. And listen to Benen-"

"Mom, I'll be fine."

"Famous last words, Fearless Finn."

Benen chuckled when the teen stuck out his tongue. "You keep doing that, it's going to get so long you will be able to touch your nose."

"Good. It'll be less work to pick my nose that way."

Benen grimaced. "That's disgusting."

Finn snickered and pulled himself onto his knees. "I'm just kidding. Wow, I will never take the ability to stand up straight for granted again." Benen stood and helped the boy onto his feet. Finn frowned when the room tilted to the right and he could feel a slight pressure behind his eyes. He quickly discovered that shaking his head only made the dizziness worse, so he opted to carefully walk to the nearest bench instead.

"How do you feel now?" Benen asked.

Finn shrugged and accepted the bowl of stew his old friend offered. "Everything's tilting to the right… and kind of downwards? It's weird. It's not intense but I… I don't know. It feels like I spun in a circle for a few seconds and then stopped. Everything's spinning, but not intensely."

Benen nodded. "Best be careful then and don't eat that too fast."

"Mhm." Finn shoved his spoon in his mouth heaped with potatoes and venison. He hummed and pulled the bowl closer to his chest as if it were treasure. "Odin bless the hands that hunted this game and created this masterpiece."

Benen chuckled and patted the boy's back. "That would be you. That's the buck you shot down while you and Helga were out hunting."

Finn rolled his eyes and grinned. "Ahh yes. Then Odin bless me."

Benen ruffled his hair with an affectionate smile. "He already has."


	17. More Questions, More Answers

Her first thoughts focused of the pain radiating throughout her head, neck and shoulders. Her body felt stiff and genuinely uncomfortable. No amount of tossing or turning helped. With a sudden frustrated huff, she snatched her pillow from behind her head, punched it a few times to fluff it up, and then set it behind her head again. There, much better.

"I've never seen someone massacre a pillow before."

Inga's eyes snapped open and she froze. The first problem: she wasn't in her room. The second: there was a boy in the room with her. The third: she dearly hoped she was wrong, but that boy sounded like…

She turned her head to the right and in the adjacent bed sat the redheaded boy whom she so despised, a small book propped on his knee and a big smirk on his cocky face. "Haddock." The raven-haired girl nearly spat.

Finn grinned and turned back to his book. "Jorgenson."

Inga growled and gritted her teeth before tearing her gaze away from that side of the room to stare at the ceiling. "What are you doing here?"

"A better question is why you're so petulant after sleeping for so long?"

"Oh! Haddock used a big word!" Inga smiled in fake sweetness. "Are you reading one of your sister's big girl books?"

Finn scowled and twisted the book around. "It's a shortened copy of the dragon manual. Basically the only thing I read." He rolled up his long sleeves. "Besides, Mara wanted me to read in hopes that the dizziness would go away; or something."

Inga frowned. "Dizziness?"

"I was sick and still fighting off some of the after effects."

"Why the heck are you in here if you were-" Inga paused in disorientation. Slowly, she sat up and took in her surroundings. "Mara… we're at Mara's." She remarked dumbly.

"Yes…" Finn glanced at her from his book, pretending to be uninterested. However, he was slightly panicking because she wasn't supposed to wake up while Snotlout was away.

"Why…" She turned to Finn in utter bewilderment and turmoil; a look that Finn had never seen on her before. "What happened? Why am I here? I – I can't remember…" Finn licked his lips and opened his mouth to reply, but she continued, panic evident in her voice. "I – I can't remember anything. I don't know what happened! Why can't I – Finn! I can't remember! Why can't I remember?"

Finn didn't know what to be more shocked about – the fact that the normally very collected girl was panicking or that she actually used his name. "Hey," he slid into a sitting position. "It's –" He groaned and slammed a hand onto the small bedside table when his vision swam but he forced himself to focus on the horrified girl in front of him. "Inga, look at me." He spoke calmly.

Inga lifted her head from her hands and looked at him; her arctic blue eyes wide with fear. Finn felt something in his chest constrict. Suddenly, he wanted to rid the terror from her, no matter what it took. "It's okay," Finn reassured softly, "You're all right now."

"What happened?" Inga whispered.

Finn didn't want to tell her everything; it wasn't his place. He took a careful breath and reassured her. "You went to get the aloe for medicine. Do you remember that?" Inga paused for a few seconds before gingerly nodding. "You had an accident. But I think it would be best if your parents told you –"

"Where are they?"

"They stepped out a couple of minutes ago. Your brothers needed them for something. I'll see if I can find them." Finn set his book down and slowly stood, trying his best not to appear weak in front of a girl – especially Inga. He strode toward the door with deliberate steps, and just as he grabbed the handle, everything spun.

Inga watched as he groan in annoyance and pain. He put his head against the door frame with his eyes closed. "Are you okay?" She asked gingerly.

Finn sighed and shook his head. "Everything's spinning."

"Then don't go out." Inga pleaded. "It's not that important –"

"Yes, it is." Finn stood up straight. "Trust me, talk to your parents while you're awake. They need to see you." With that, the Haddock boy opened the door and strode out.

Mara wasn't anywhere to be seen and he knew she would have his hide for stepping out, right alongside his mother and Benen. But deep down none of that mattered. He had to find Snotlout and Heather. It was worth the extra bouts of dizziness and discomfort to see them happy that Inga was finally awake.

Finn stepped out into the midday heat. The sun's rays blazed through his skull, only reminding him of his dull headache, but, nonetheless, he walked into the square. The boy turned in a careful circle in search of the Jorgensons, willing himself to stay standing and ignore the way gravity shifted his mind's eye. But his freedom was not to last.

"FEARLESS FINN HADDOCK!" The teenager jumped and whipped around, his hands out to steady himself as Mara stomped toward him from the bakery. "What in Odin's good name –"

"Before you yell at me," Finn interrupted with a single finger in the air. He turned and pointed toward her house (or its general direction anyway). "Inga's awake; wants her parents."

Mara's mouth shut and she crossed her arms grudgingly. "Well, I suppose that is ample reason enough to do something stupid."

"Yes. So without further ado, I am going to return to my bed." Finn gave her a mock salute and walked away.

"Finn?"

"Yeah?"

"My house is the other way."

Finn smirked. "Yeah, but mine is this way. I did say _my_ bed, right?" Mara did not seem to be pleased with his humor today. "I'm going now."

Mara enjoyed his pout as he walked back into the house and closed the door, then turned toward the village to locate the Jorgensons.

Finn slumped against the door when it clicked shut. He rubbed at his eyes, willing them to focus on something. He stood there for nearly a minute until Inga broke the silence from her bed.

"You look terrible."

Finn gave her a dry look. "Thanks. So do you. The only difference is I make this look good."

"Psh…" Inga tossed her head, wincing at the stiffness in her neck. "Haddocks are all psychos."

"And Jorgensons are cocky."

"Who are you calling cocky?"

"Easy there, beauty." Finn smirked as he lay back onto his bed.

Inga gritted her teeth. "I told you not to call me that!"

"Hey, chillax! Most girls would love a compliment from me."

"Must be because you're so loveable."

"Careful, might wear yourself out with all that sarcasm weighing you down."

"Wear myself- I'll have you know that I could run circles around you!"

"As opposed to squares?"

"URGHH HADDOCK!"

Finn laughed at the ceiling, absolutely loving the torture he was putting her through. He didn't know why but she was so fun to tease. Maybe it was the 3-year age gap, maybe it was the generational, semi-serious feud between their families, maybe it was simply because he was a guy and she was a girl. Whatever the reason, he simply couldn't pass up the opportunity to irritate her.

The funny thing about it was no matter how much she could really grate on his nerves and how honestly, irritatingly, obnoxious she could be at times, she could keep up with his antics. He appreciated anyone who could keep up with him, even if it was Inga Jorgenson.

The redhead sighed, glancing at her from the corner of his eye. "Someday, beauty."

Inga huffed at the ceiling. "Someday what?"

"Someday you too will love me," Finn turned to her and nodded with every ounce of confidence he possessed. Inga raised an eyebrow, undeterred. "Just like everybody else, you'll finally see me for who I really am-"

"Oh no, I'm already well aware of who you are, Finn." Inga looked up at the ceiling again when his blue eyes turned toward her. "Cocky-"

"Driven." Finn interrupted.

Inga scowled and continued, "Over-achiever."

"Hard worker."

"Proud."

"Confident."

"Spoiled!"

"Blessed!"

"Brat!"

"Angel."

"Oh gods." Inga huffed, making Finn laugh once more. "If you seriously think you are an angel, gods help us all." The girl narrowed her eyes at the laughing boy. "Would you shut up? It wasn't that funny."

"I'm hilarious and you know it."

"Obnoxious."

"Witty."

Inga massaged her temples with her fingertips gingerly. "Shush. Just shush."

"I don't take orders from girls."

"SH!"

"As I always say, beauty-"

"Haddock, so help me Thor-"

"A man should be free to lead his own destin-"

"SHUT UP YOU STUPID BOY!" Inga screeched, launching herself from her bed and throwing all of her weight into her arm. Her pillow smacked Finn in the face once, twice, three times before the sound of the door opening caused her to freeze.

"Inga!" Snotlout nearly charged in and crushed her in his arms. Heather and Mara stood in the doorway gobsmacked at the sight of Finn sprawled on his bed with Inga standing over him with a now flat pillow. Heather shook out of her stupor and hugged her daughter tightly after her husband.

"Hi mom, daddy." Inga smiled at them widely. She could see the dark circles under their eyes and the worry etched in their faces.

"How are you feeling?" Snotlout asked gently, brushing her dark hair out of her face.

"Well I was fine until I had to beat someone senseless to shut him up, ahem!" Inga jerked her chin toward the Haddock boy a few steps away, who naturally waved. "But honestly I'm stiff and overall kind of groggy."

Mara inspected the girl's joints and was pleased to note that her injuries seemed to be healing nicely. "She doesn't seem to have any problems with movement. We still need to take it easy though, day by day." Mara instructed, leaning over to glance at the suddenly quiet Finn. She flicked his shoe to get his attention. "Hey, are you okay?"

Finn peeked out from under his arm. "'m okay. Just tired."

"Now who's worn out?" Inga snarked. Finn grumbled in response, but didn't try hard to make a proper comeback.

"Both of you have had hard weeks." Mara patted the girl's shoulder. "But while you're awake, lets get you some food, we can talk to you about everything that's happened, and we can give Finn some quiet time. Do you need anything before I go, Finn?"

"Mmmfhh." Finn grumbled from his elbow.

"I'll take that as a no. Holler if you need me." Mara ushered the Jorgensons toward the door, Snotlout carefully walking his daughter into the front room.

"So how long was I out of it?" Inga asked the moment she and her parents were alone.

"About 3 days, maybe 4. I'm not sure; they all blend together." Heather explained. "We didn't sleep much."

"Sorry I freaked you guys out. But I'm okay now." Inga said cheerfully. Heather and Snotlout exchanged a brief glance before turning back to their daughter. Inga felt her stomach constrict. "I _am_ okay... aren't I?"

"Hopefully, yes." Snotlout replied slowly, his eyes flitting to his wife's every few seconds. There was a long, very tense pause. When the Jorgenson patriarch spoke up again, both Heather and Inga started. "Inga, you know we love you, right?"

"Sure..." Inga raised an eyebrow. "Why wouldn't I know that?"

"I think he meant to say that we love you no matter what happens. And nothing is _ever_ going to change that." Heather brushed a few strands of hair from in front of her daughter's eyes.

Inga's eyes widened in horror. "Am I dying?"

"No!" Snotlout exclaimed a bit too loudly. He cleared his throat before continuing in a softer voice. "No, Inga, you're not dying. But while you were out, something happened."

"Something like..."

"Do you remember anything from the time you were out? Maybe a dream?" Heather asked softly.

"I pretty much remember leaving to get the aloe leaves and waking up here." Inga shook her head. "Nothing else."

"Okay." Snotlout and Heather exchanged a look again before Inga's father continued. "While you were out, you had a kind of... episode."

"Episode?"

"One second you were lying there peacefully, the next you were sort of... twitching. And jerking around." Heather felt a flash of the fear she had on that day and it took quite a bit of self control to compose herself. "Foaming at the mouth and sort of choking."

Inga, rather than feeling fearful, was overwhelmed with confusion. "What? But I'm fine."

"I know." Heather sighed shakily. "Benen was there and he said he'd seen it happen before."

"Sometimes a brain injury can cause these episodes. Now, it may have been a one time thing but there's a chance it could happen again." Snotlout continued, gently reaching forward and putting a hand on Inga's knee. "And if it does, we're going to do everything we can to get it under control."

"This could happen a few _more_ times?" Inga felt a tiny prickle of fear.

"Benen said that was a possibility." Heather stated, exchanging another look with Snotlout. "So we thought it would be best to make sure you know. If you feel anything strange, tell an adult. Us, Mara, Hiccup, Benen, anyone who can get you help."

Inga swallowed thickly, her eyes fixed on her clasped hands. "Okay." she mumbled. "But it's not going to happen again."

"Inga-"

"No, I feel fine." Inga insisted, her eyes finally meeting her mother's. "I can't just have these unpredictable episodes. I wouldn't be able to ride Mystie anymore or do Thawfest or-"

"You could if we prepared for it." Snotlout cut in.

"Well we don't have to." Inga shook her head, this time more vigorously. She ignored the aching sensation that resulted. "Can we talk about something else?"

"Inga, this is important!" Snotlout exclaimed in a slightly higher register but stopped when Heather held up a hand.

"It's a lot to take in. But, yes." Heather fixed her husband with a stern gaze. "I think a change of topic is probably for the best."

As Heather and Inga began to talk about what else had been going on, Snotlout scowled. How could his daughter be so _callous_ about what had happened? She certainly wouldn't have acted that way if she'd seen herself seizing and foaming at the mouth like a dying animal. He felt a flicker of sympathy for Hiccup. If he worried about Adrianna as much as Snotlout was currently worried about Inga, Snotlout was never going to criticize his chief's parenting again.

His train of thought was nearly forgotten when his daughter laughed in response to something Heather said. He loved it when she laughed. She almost always snorted and would cover her mouth and laugh harder in response. Perhaps she was right. Perhaps staying positive about the future would prevent any future episodes.

Even so, he was going to keep a much closer eye on her from then on.

* * *

Finn found himself lying on his stomach when he woke up, his right arm hanging off the edge of the bed so his fingertips brushed the floorboards. He heard the distinct sound of a blade softly scraping on wood. He smiled before he even moved, recognizing that sound anywhere.

"Benen."

His elderly friend looked up from his seat a few feet away with a big smile. "Good morning, sleeping beauty."

"Good morn-" Finn flinched and looked up. "It's morning?"

"Yes. You apparently fell asleep around five yesterday evening and didn't wake back up. Mara said better to let you catch up on sleep. Do you feel better?"

Finn yawned and rubbed his eyes. "Yeah, I do actually." He pulled himself into a sitting position and smiled in realization. "Hey, the dizziness is gone."

Benen smiled widely. "Good! I'd still take it easy though. It may come back."

"Don't worry, Benen. I don't think I'll be pulling any real crazy stunts anytime soon." Finn replied as he untwisted the cord on his necklace. He touched the wood fondly for a moment before looking at Benen with a prompt look. "I'm starving."

Benen laughed and set his carving aside. "Then let's find this strapping young man some food, shall we?"

"Sounds perfect." Finn followed Benen out the door and noticed the Jorgenson family eating breakfast by the fireplace. He gave a short wave and received a greeting from the twins first. Inga raised a critical eyebrow at him with a certain mischievous look, but if she had any roguish thoughts about his survival from last night's pillow attack, she kept them to herself.

"Heading out?" Mara asked from her table of herbs and medicines.

Finn shrugged. "Can I?"

"I don't see why not. You look a lot healthier, standing up straighter already." Mara smirked when Inga snorted from the fireplace.

Finn leaned toward Benen and whispered, "She knows she likes it."

Snotlout stiffened. "Don't be getting any ideas, Haddock."

"I wouldn't dream of it sir- ahh Snotlo- Mr. Jorgenson. Yeah." Benen and Snotlout smirked while Inga buried her face in her bowl of oatmeal, trying not to laugh out loud. Finn was sure his face had never been redder. He cleared his throat promptly and managed, "Umm food? Great Hall."

"That's fine with me," Mara nodded. "Just stick with Benen and come back if you start feeling woozy again."

"Thanks doc." Finn grabbed Benen's sleeve and nearly dragged him to the door. "Come on, let's go!" Finn skipped out into the morning light and inhaled the chilly morning air deeply. "Freedom!"

Benen laughed. "Free from sickness, the healer's, or the icy Jorgenson stare?"

"Hey, pipe down," Finn commanded with a finger poke to Benen's stomach. "I'm just hungry, need some… food. Yeah."

A snort from the old man was the first response, then a flat, "Yes, food. That's the problem."

"What're you going on about exactly, Ben-" Finn began.

"FINN!"

The teenager turned in time to see a blonde attack him from the side. Helga hugged him tightly around the neck so that he almost couldn't breathe.

"Wha- Helga! Hey!" Finn exclaimed in surprise as he reciprocated the hug.

"You're okay!" Helga squealed delightedly. "Oh thank gods!"

"Of course I'm okay. What, did you think a few germs could possibly slow- mmmf!"

Finn was rendered unable to finish his sentence when Helga immediately grabbed his collar in her fist and yanked his head down to her level. The boy was used to her forcefulness but he was surprised to find his lips meeting hers in a sensation that could best be described as... actually there was no proper description for this. Finn wasn't entirely certain of what was going on. His eyes widened as Helga moved her lips against his... and then something clicked in his mind. Heat rising to his face, he shut his eyes and wrapped his arms around her. His heart was pounding so loudly, he was surprised she couldn't hear it. Was this even happening? Surely this had to be some kind of surreal fever dream. But even if it was... it wasn't a _bad_ dream at all. Actually, it was rather nice...

With a small _pop_ , their lips separated as suddenly as they had met. Finn's eyes fluttered open and, for a moment, all he could see was Helga. She, too, seemed to be focused on him. But alas, this was not to last. Finn could see Benen's amused grin out of the corner of his eye and, with a thrill of horror, his parents walking up to the young couple. He cleared his throat.

"So uhh... I was saying..." Finn stumbled through his words, not altogether sure his lips were working properly anymore. "I was saying... something."

"I think you were about to ask if I was busy for breakfast." Helga chirped cheerfully, enjoying the gobsmacked expression on his face. "It's your lucky day, Fearless Finn, because as it so happens, I'm not."

"Oh... well okay. Yeah. That's cool. I'll catch up with you in a sec." Finn said, allowing Helga to hurry up the steps to the Hall. He turned to Benen. "Don't say it." he growled through gritted teeth. Benen let out a chuckle, apparently unable to hold it back any longer.

"Ewww!" Astrid complained as she walked up to him, Hiccup laughing by her side. "Gross!"

"My eyes! I can't take it!" Hiccup, who was walking alongside her, threw his hand over his eyes. "It burns! IT BURNS!"

"Come on, I was never _that_ bad." Finn griped with a scowl on his face.

"Believe me, we're not even close to done." Hiccup clapped his son on the shoulder. "Now why aren't you hurrying after your lovely damsel? What do you want to hang around us for?"

"I was..." Finn began but trailed off with a frown on his face. He eyed Benen for a moment but seemed to decide not to finish his sentence. "No reason."

As Finn hurried up the stairs to see if he could catch the Ingerman girl, the smile melted off of Benen's face.

"That boy..." he mumbled. At Hiccup and Astrid's look of abject confusion, he smiled once again. "I'm sorry. I just didn't think he'd grow up so _fast_."

"Thank you for reminding me." Hiccup deadpanned.

Benen let out a chuckle. "Yes, I'm sure time does seem to zip by for you. But these last few years have gone by so quickly. It's hard for me to adjust to the fact that Finn is becoming a young man. He's burned into my mind as that cheerful little boy I first met."

"Try constantly having to remind yourself that he used to be the size of a loaf of bread." Astrid sighed deeply. "He was so cute."

"Yeah, now he's a little too handsome." Hiccup remarked dryly. "I don't know where he got that."

As Astrid tittered in response to this, Benen kept his eyes fixed on where the boy had been standing moments ago. He furrowed his brow as he made a decision and then turned to the Haddocks.

"Do you think we can talk in private for a few minutes?" he asked quietly. "There's... something I should have told you and time is going by so fast, I shouldn't put it off any longer. For Finn's sake mostly."

"Is this about what we talked about on Snoggletog?" Hiccup asked apprehensively.

"Hm? Oh, no. Nothing's changed on that front." Benen smiled amiably at Astrid's look of confusion. "I'll tell you in a second. But this is concerning another matter."

"Is something wrong?" Hiccup put a hand on Benen's upper arm. "Because if we can help at all-"

"No." Benen said firmly. "Nothing is wrong, at least not in the way you're implying. But Finn..." he audibly swallowed and looked Hiccup in the eye. "There's something that happened a long time ago. Something I probably should have told you. But Finn is still so young and this isn't the sort of thing he needs to know right now. But later on, it could save him from a lot of heartache. I just fear that I won't live long enough to tell him myself."

Both Hiccup and Astrid felt a wave of deep sadness at the thought of losing Benen anytime soon but they understood his urgency. There was no telling how long he had left.

"Here, we can talk in the forge. Gobber's at breakfast." Hiccup beckoned his wife and elderly friend as he sauntered over to the small building.

"Thank you." Benen nodded to him. He paused for a moment before speaking up again. "I never thought I'd be so nervous to talk to you."

"What's there to be nervous about?" Astrid asked in concern.

"I know that you see me as this wise old adviser who always has the answers. But the truth is, I didn't get this way on my own. I had to make a few mistakes and learn some lessons the hard way." Benen glanced around the forge to make sure no one was listening. "There was one mistake I made that I'm deeply ashamed of to this day. And I don't think I could live with myself if I didn't do everything in my power to protect Finn and Anna from that kind of pain."

"Then we're listening." Hiccup said kindly.

Benen smiled warmly. Though his heart ached to even think about what he was about to tell them, he was deeply touched that they cared enough about him to listen and about their children to make sure what he had done would never be repeated.

* * *

Erick wasn't the sort of person who had big emotional outbursts but when he did, he usually regretted them hours later.

But not this time.

The Larson boy was intrigued by his anger at his former best friend. In his head, he knew it wasn't truly her fault. The odds of Olaf surviving even after receiving the cure were slim considering how bad the sickness had gotten. But the rage he contained seemed to consume every last bit of his heart and she was the only one to whom he could channel it. It helped that he had felt so strongly about her before. Turning his infatuation into burning anger was so easy, it was almost unnerving. Was this really where almost exactly 10 years of friendship had to lead? Erick didn't know. And he didn't want to find out.

He had been working since it happened. The smell of leather and the sensation of it in his hands helped calm him. His mind was free to wander where it pleased when he was working. And right now, he was determinedly thinking about anything _except_ Adrianna Haddock. Even his breakfast would be a preferable subject for his mind to fixate on but it simply wasn't meant to be.

"Erick?"

Erick jumped so violently, he nearly knocked the saddle he was working on off the table. Horst took a step backward.

"I'm sorry." he said, feeling rather guilty that he'd distressed the boy further. "I'm about to close up. Probably best to head home."

"Go ahead and close up. I just want to get this done." Erick said through his teeth.

Horst sighed deeply and shook his head. He had no idea how to deal with adolescents, much less _grieving_ ones, but Erick had been working since the early morning. And the dark circles under his eyes were practically speaking for themselves.

"I think you should go home and go to bed." Horst firmly stated. "If you don't get some rest, you're going to wear yourself out. You saw what happened to Finn."

A tiny spark of anger ignited inside of Erick's chest but he choked it down. "I'm not sick."

"You will be if you work yourself to the bone." Horst took a step forward and placed a hand on Erick's shoulder. "I know this is hard. I lost my father at a young age too. But this isn't how to deal with it."

"Then how am I supposed to deal with it?" Erick gritted his teeth and forced himself to stay calm.

Horst gently squeezed the boy's shoulder. "You need to be with loved ones. Isolating yourself won't do anything."

"If this is about Adrianna-"

"It isn't overtly about her but she is part of the equation-"

"I have nothing to say to her." Erick said flatly. "If that's what you wanted to talk about-"

"I just wanted to make sure you're not neglecting your own needs, Erick." Horst shook his head. "And I don't think what you're doing is healthy."

"Well you're not my father." Erick spat. "So you can't tell me what to do."

Horst forced down the lecture about being respectful to one's elders that nearly poured out of his mouth the second his apprentice had spoken. "No, Erick, I'm not. But I know what you're going through and-"

"Maybe, but that was, what, thirty years ago?" Erick rolled his eyes. "Forgive me if I don't jump at the chance to listen to your anecdotes."

Horst's patience was wearing thin and he knew his wife would be cross if he came home late after everything that had happened. He patted Erick's shoulder as gently as he could before taking the lamp next to the work table.

"Horst! I can't see anything!"

"You'll be able to use the sunlight tomorrow. Now go home, Erick. Don't make me drag you." Horst's voice was beginning to sound rather gruff as his irritability shone through.

"Fine, fine." Erick stood up quite suddenly and stopped only to grab his satchel before stomping out of the shop, muttering darkly.

Horst watched him go for a few seconds before packing up his own things. True, Erick had always been a hard worker and fun to talk to since his mind always seemed to be miles away. But this wasn't the boy he had trained. And though he knew that the grieving process wasn't to be rushed, he also knew his apprentice fairly well. This went a bit farther than grieving. And though Horst didn't know much about Erick's history, suddenly he began to wonder if there was more to his story than he had originally thought.

* * *

Astrid awoke for no apparent reason so early the next morning that it was still dark out. She moaned in annoyance and tried to snuggle closer to Hiccup only to discover that he wasn't there. She patted the bed beside her before sitting up, her brow furrowed in confusion. What on earth was he up to at this hour of the night?

She quietly put on her slippers and tiptoed down the stairs. There was light coming from the cracks in the door of Hiccup's workshop. But unlike the clanging and occasional muttering to himself one could usually hear when Hiccup was hard at work, there was silence.

"Hiccup?" Astrid slowly opened the door and peered in.

Hiccup was sitting at his work bench and rummaging through the drawer under the table. He looked up when Astrid spoke.

"Sorry if I woke you." he mumbled, turning his focus back to his apparent search.

"What are you looking for?" Astrid asked in confusion.

"Some more purple thread. I know we have some." Hiccup said absentmindedly. "Go on back to bed. I'll be up soon."

"That thread is purple." Astrid pointed to a spool he'd placed on the table.

"It's not the right shade." Hiccup replied without even looking up. "It's okay, really. I'll find it."

Astrid was about to frustratedly retort that now wasn't a good time to be doing anything except sleeping when she caught sight of Hiccup's project. On the table was the mangled hair flower Adrianna had yanked off hours ago. Its lilac shade certainly differed from the royal purple thread on the spool to which she'd pointed.

"Hiccup, come on up to bed." Astrid said in a gentle voice, stepping up and placing a hand on his shoulder. "You don't have to fix it tonight."

"Yes I do." Hiccup mumbled through his teeth.

"It'll still be there tomorrow."

"This can't wait."

"Why not?"

"Because it's ruined!" Hiccup snapped, finally lifting his head to stare at his wife. Astrid was taken aback at how exhausted he looked. Hiccup took a deep breath and looked over at the flower. "I knew it would be her favorite because it's the purple one so I wanted it to be perfect for her." Astrid's heart sank at how anguished her husband sounded. "And it was. It was so beautiful and it looked amazing on her. And now it's torn and destroyed. And if I let it sit there in pieces without doing anything to fix it, it'll always be in pieces. And I can't just throw it away and make another one. I could never replace something that precious." his voice shook on the last few words and a tear slowly fell down his face.

Astrid felt her heart break for her husband as she watched him trying, and failing, to push down the emotions building within him. "Hiccup..."

"I just... I just have to fix _something_." Hiccup shakily whispered before wiping his face and continuing to rummage through the drawer.

Astrid watched him go through the spools of thread for several seconds before she got on her knees and joined him. He paused for a moment to kiss her on the forehead before getting back to his work. A part of him was deeply thankful that Astrid understood. And it was that tiny spark of something positive that kept his eyes dry as he continued to try to fix what was left of his daughter's gift.


	18. Vita Pro Vita

Hiccup felt like he had been let off the hook as the days progressed. The families and friends of those who had died had respectfully declined his offer to perform the funeral and had, instead, made other arrangements. He was proud of his people for doing what they needed to do and for freeing up his time to do some damage control.

But Berk's chief had intentionally put off one sad duty that had fallen to him as chief- Olaf's funeral. Because Olaf's sister lived on Brawn, it took a few days to contact her and even longer for her to come pay her respects. Arnora Larson-Solmund was younger than Olaf by several years and, like her brother, had the gift of putting those around her at ease. Even Erick was acting somewhat normal a few hours after she had arrived.

The funeral itself had been difficult to sit through. Olaf's ship burned so brightly in the moonlight that it resembled the setting sun. No one noticed Adrianna standing in the back, leaning against the side of a house and silently wiping tears from her eyes every few seconds. No one, that is, except Erick. Rather than give her the usual glare, he simply started at her for a few seconds and turned to Magnus again. Adrianna knew it was wishful thinking to assume that she and Erick would be friends again anytime soon but she was at least glad he didn't hate her for being there.

In the wake of a tragedy, sometimes it can be a little bit unnerving how fast life goes back to normal. Within a week since Hiccup and Adrianna had returned, those who had been sick had almost completely recovered. The blizzard had damaged a lot of buildings and it took a few days for the temperature to rise enough that the snow softened, allowing the Berkians to begin repairs. Soon, that became the most important task and all able bodied Hooligans were working on the reconstructions required.

A full week after Hiccup and Adrianna's return, Benen woke up feeling rather odd. It wasn't an unpleasant sensation, or even a physical one at all, but it was sort of a feeling that today was significant. He blinked a few times, staring up at the ceiling of his small house, and found himself deep in thought. It certainly wasn't his birthday or a holiday that he could recall. But today seemed _vitally_ important for some reason and the elderly man wasn't at all sure why. He supposed he would know soon enough.

He rose from his bed a lot earlier than usual and ate breakfast at a leisurely pace, knowing that he wouldn't be needed until much later that morning. His dragon was out hunting and wouldn't be back until that evening so, after getting dressed, he decided to take a walk around and enjoy the crisp morning air. The midwinter chill on Berk was colder than anyplace he'd ever been and he had come to love it because it always reminded him to be thankful for his freedom. This morning was no exception.

Benen's house was close to the leather shop and he was surprised to see someone working in the window. It was certainly too early for the nonessential sort of jobs like healing or standing guard over a public place. Surely the owners of the saddles or outfits that needed repair weren't _that_ impatient.

Benen strolled over and rapped lightly on the window. He could make out Erick so hard at work, one might have thought he was making up for a lot of lost time. The boy lifted his head and furrowed his brow at the sight of Benen in the window. Nonetheless, he walked over and opened it.

"Need something?" he asked dismissively.

Benen took in the Larson boy's haggard appearance. His eyes had dark circles under them, in fact his whole face seemed to droop completely. He was hardly recognizable as the wide eyed teenager who greeted customers with a friendly smile. And he was far from the boy who pretended he wasn't staring at a certain blonde girl every time she passed by.

"Not particularly. But I think you do." Benen said with a small smile. "When is the last time you had some company other than Horst?"

"Why does that matter?" Erick shook his head when his eyelids began to droop.

"It doesn't if you're all right." Benen leaned in and rested his elbows on the windowsill. "But I can tell you're not."

"I just want to be alone." Erick said in a rather dead voice, turning back to his work.

"Ironic that oftentimes we want to be alone when we most need other people." Benen watched Erick work for a few seconds, admiring the boy's precision. "How you're feeling is completely normal, Erick. And I wouldn't dream of trying to change that. But you can't begin to recover if you don't share that burden with others. I know from experience that keeping emotions that powerful to yourself can cause you to make some _very_ bad decisions."

"I knew this was going to come back to Adrianna." Erick growled in a low voice that Benen almost didn't hear. "That's all anyone ever talks to me about. Go apologize to her, tell her how you feel, salvage your friendship... gods, it's _relentless_!"

"I wasn't going to say anything of the sort." Benen smiled softly. "Although I do agree with their points, I suspect that that's not what you need to hear right now."

"So what _do_ I need to hear?" Erick asked, cursing his curiosity since he really just wanted to be alone.

"That it's not always going to hurt this much." Benen leaned in a bit more so that Erick could see him in his peripheral vision. "Sure, you'll have moments when you feel like you are never going to feel happy again but they will pass. Every day is a little bit easier if you allow yourself to grieve and to heal."

Erick opened his mouth to ask _how_ Benen knew this but immediately shut it. He knew enough about Benen to know that the elderly man had suffered the kinds of losses no one, least of all him, could possibly begin to understand. And yet there were days when it seemed like Benen had always been upbeat and happy.

"Maybe." Erick said, feeling like he needed to respond.

"Please don't allow this pain to consume you." Benen's voice was more tender, more grandfatherly as he said this. It wasn't a word of advice, it was a caring plea. Erick wasn't at all prepared for this so he remained silent. Benen waited a few seconds before continuing, a look of deep sadness etched on his features. "You will only make it worse. The longer you stay angry and depressed, the more it will eat you up inside. The consequences of letting that happen are always, _always_ devastating. It may be easier to isolate yourself from others but you're only hurting yourself in the end."

"Why do you care?" Erick asked in a slightly shaky voice. "You don't even know me that well."

"Because I believe you're stronger than this." Benen leaned in even more. "And I don't want you to push away people who love you enough to go through this with you."

"You're talking about Adrianna again." Erick gritted his teeth and turned back to his work.

"Yes, I am." Benen admitted unabashedly. "And I'll keep what I have to say brief. She's a special girl, Erick. One of the most brave, most resilient people I have ever known. If anyone can help you bounce back, it's her."

"Sure." Erick said dismissively, trying to ignore the burning anger he was beginning to feel.

"Take your time. Sort through what you feel." Benen sighed. "I just pray that when you do see what kind of a profound impact on her life you've made, it won't be too late. She's resilient, Erick, just like I said. She _will_ bounce back."

"I really don't want to talk about this." Erick began to try to make himself look busier.

"I'll leave you be. But just remember what I said." Benen stood up straight but didn't close the window. "I've been watching you these last few years from afar. You have the potential to be a great man and I know you will be one day. I have complete faith in you, Erick."

With this, Benen strolled away. Erick looked up and watched his retreating back for a full minute before standing up and closing the window. As he recalled what the elderly man had said, he let out a derisive laugh. Great man, huh? Benen was clearly a crazy old man who had convinced himself that he could read people like a book. But he couldn't. Because Erick knew very well that he would never amount to anything. And no encouraging words would ever change that fact.

* * *

Adrianna's flower had been a particularly difficult object to fix. It had taken every ounce of precision Hiccup had, not to mention a few nearly sleepless nights. But fix it he had and it looked good now, almost like nothing had happened to destroy it. He was timid about approaching his daughter, who had been rather cold to him since losing Erick as a friend, but he was so pleased with his work that he had to take the chance and hope that Adrianna would forgive him.

It was just before noon when he tapped on the girl's door. "Addie?"

"Mm." Adrianna hummed in response.

"Can I talk to you for a second?"

"Fine."

Hiccup walked in and nearly smiled at the sight of his daughter propped up on a few pillows and reading a book. The amount of times he'd seen her doing that were too numerous to count. She didn't look up as he slowly sauntered forward, keeping an eye on a resting Lily at the foot of the bed.

"I thought about what you said." Hiccup began, his fingers fiddling with the flower. "You're right about the promises I've broken. And I'm not going to pretend like I haven't messed up with you. I have. A lot. Some of it was my fault and some of it wasn't anyone's." Adrianna hummed again in response. "I know this doesn't even begin to make up for letting you down but, well," he held up the flower, "maybe it's a start?"

Adrianna eyed the flower in his hand for a few seconds before turning back to her book. "You didn't have to do that."

"I wanted to."

"I wish you hadn't."

"What else do you want me to do?" Hiccup asked, exasperation beginning to take over. "Are you always going to keep punishing me for mistakes I made raising you? I've told you that I'm sorry a hundred times."

"Sorry isn't enough." Adrianna lifted her book so her face was partially obscured.

Hiccup sighed deeply. "You know..." he paused for a moment, collecting his thoughts. "People can only be pushed so far. You know that as well as anyone. But if you keep this up, if you keep hanging onto this, you're going to end up alone and unloved. That's what happens when you let things like this consume you." his voice was firm, which surprised the girl a bit. "Every minute you hang onto this, you push away people who love you. One day, there won't be anyone left. Don't let that happen."

Hiccup left the flower on the top of her dresser before walking out, confident that he had made his point. Adrianna, however, read the same line several times before she realized that she wasn't paying attention to her book anymore.

 _Alone and unloved_? Was that really what her father had said? The same man who told her that he loved her unconditionally had just made it abundantly clear that his, and everyone else's, love hinged on this one condition she couldn't meet. How could she turn off her brain to nightmares and flashbacks? Was she really going to lose everyone because of one horrible thing that had happened to her?

The answer hit her so hard, she gasped in surprise. _She already had_. Erick's rejection, her father's broken promises had been _her_ fault for letting this take over her mind. For being an unlovable burden on them as she tried to move forward. Gone were the days when she could be openly candid with her father in the early hours of the morning. He was clearly close to the breaking point. She had already pushed Erick too far. As angry as she was at her father, she couldn't bear the thought of pushing him away too.

The Haddock girl made a silent resolve to fix this. If it meant sleepless nights to stop the nightmares, she would do it. If she had to go out of her way to take risks and build up her endurance, she would do it. She was never going to mention this again or let it control her. She could beat this. She _had_ to beat this. Otherwise she would lose everything.

She thought about going to her father to apologize. But no, she thought it would be better if she simply became the daughter he wanted her to be. Then he wouldn't constantly associate her with her past. Perhaps then she could develop an identity beyond her struggles, beyond her pain. If she wanted to be loved again, she had no other choice.

* * *

Finn trudged down the stairs with heavy steps, fingers massaging his temple. The throbs of his pounding headache matched the thud of his footfalls. Despite the fact that Mara had cleared him four days ago, the effects of the sickness were still wearing off. Headaches, congestion and coughing lingered, but at least his body didn't feel like it was being torn to shreds anymore.

Astrid eyed him from the kitchen as he came in, scooping up a bowl of porridge and sprinkling some nuts and berries on top.

Finn shoveled the first few bites in his mouth before he noticed her stare. His eyebrows furrowed in surprise, "What?"

Astrid smirked. "Don't talk with your mouth full. Have you learned anything?"

Finn rolled his eyes and swallowed. "I've learned to stop streaking through the village at some point, so you can't say that like your parenting skills are completely moot."

Adrianna's voice wafted from the upstairs urgently: "Streaking through the village?"

"When you were little," Hiccup replied from the master bedroom.

"Oh. Thank gods…" Adrianna sighed heavily.

Finn snickered into his empty bowl, then frowned at the large bowl his mother was mixing in front of him. Astrid rolled her eyes and dropped another huge helping into his bowl. Finn grinned and began to shovel it in, before her stern voice stopped him. "Slow down. I may give you more food than Mara suggested, but I won't have you choking."

Hiccup tromped down the stairs with a grin on his face. "Wouldn't want anyone to have to revive you-"

"Keep your filthy lips away from me." Finn muttered.

"Trust me, Finn, the only person I plan on kissing anytime soon is your mother."

"Odin, spare me."

Hiccup gave him a devilish grin before grabbing Astrid by the waist. But she had other plans. "Get away from me, freak."

Hiccup gasped and even Adrianna's laughter could be heard from her bedroom. "You are a horrible person!" His grin quickly returned. "You know, the payment for mistreatment of your husband, and chief, I might add, is a kiss-"

"Take one step closer, _chief_ , and I will slap you."

"Hmm… I'll take it. Come here!"

"AH! Hiccup, get away from me!"

"Stop- why are you running away from me?"

"Because you're a freak of living nature with your poufy hair, now go away!" Astrid laughed.

Adrianna poked her head down the hallway from the upstairs, joining in Finn's laughter at their parents chasing each other around the lower level of the house like teenagers. The door swung open and Benen stepped inside, jumping out of the way of a charging Astrid.

"Whoa now!" Benen gave the two teenagers a confused look. "What's going on?"

Hiccup finally grabbed Astrid around the waist and tackled her onto the couch. "HA! GOTCHA!" A solid slap across the face nearly broke his grin but he couldn't help the cry of pain. Finn crowed with laughter at the resounding sound through the house. "Owwwwwwwww…"

Benen chortled. "Serves you right, Hiccup. Finn, take notes."

Finn snorted. "Done."

"I think it's kind of cute." Adrianna giggled from the bottom of the stairs, book in hand.

Finn rolled his eyes. "You would."

"Just you wait, Fearless Finn. You're going to be the gooiest husband of them all." Adrianna smirked.

"Over my cold, dead body."

Hiccup smirked. "Now we just have to figure out who the special lady is."

A blush began to ride over Finn's face. "Please don't…"

"Finn and Helga kissing in a tree…" Astrid began.

"MOM!" Finn whirled around, horrified.

"K-I-S-S-I-N-G!" Hiccup and Astrid chanted together.

Finn groaned loudly, slamming his forehead against the counter top. "Why me?"

"Because there's not much option elsewhere maybe?" Adrianna quietly replied.

The room quickly grew silent but the parents figured she must be somewhat okay if she said it herself, rather than someone else. Before anyone could say a word to break the lingering silence, Benen stepped over to her and pulled her into his arms with a warm smile.

"Patience. The time will come. Don't ever wish for more than you've been blessed with."

Adrianna sighed quietly but still gave him a kiss on the cheek before retreating to her upstairs haven. Hiccup and Astrid watched her go with sad expressions, Hiccup biting his lip pensively.

"I wish there was something I could do for her," he mused.

Benen turned to him with a knowing smile. "Patience is a lesson for us all. She'll be okay. She just needs time. As does Erick. He'll come around."

"Will he?" Finn asked. "He hasn't cracked a smile in a week, Benen."

"He just lost his father." Benen replied. "These things are to be expected in the grieving process. He will be okay, but don't be surprised if it takes longer than you might expect."

Hiccup sighed. "We're a living testament to that one. With my dad and… Lotus." Astrid nodded quietly in agreement.

"I can't imagine going through that," Finn ran a hand through his hair. "I mean… it hurt when Poppy died, but I didn't really understand it."

"You were almost five," Hiccup frowned. "It's hard to explain that to a child."

Benen glanced around the room and surveyed the dull atmosphere in it. He hated seeing the sad faces but he knew there was little he could do to cheer them up. Although he knew of something that would lift _one_ Haddock's spirits considerably

"Finn," Benen broke the silence. "Mulch and Bucket's barn was damaged in the blizzard and someone needs to fix it. Shouldn't take more than a few hours. What do you say?"

"Sure!"

Hiccup straightened up from his seat. "I don't know. That barn didn't look very stable."

"Oh, come _on_ , dad! I've been practically tied to a bed for days. Let me be free!"

"Okay… Just wear a coat." Hiccup relented.

"Your warmer one- yes, that one." Astrid piped up when Finn turned to the coat hanger.

"Mooom…"

"I don't want you to get sick again! You're still coming off of it. It could come back-"

"Astrid, leave him be." Hiccup murmured beside her as Finn and Benen threw their coats on. "He'll be fine." he paused for a moment. "Actually, can I come? You and I haven't spent all that much time together since we got back. I've missed you, buddy."

Finn opened his mouth to respond when Adrianna pounded down the stairs and grabbed a coat off the hanger. "Library." she said breathlessly, turning to the door.

"Addie, wait!" Hiccup stood up and hurried over as his daughter pulled the front door open. "Let me walk you down."

"I know where the library is, dad."

"I just want to make sure you're safe. There's a lot of construction going on and anything could happen." Hiccup took his coat off the hanger and stared at his daughter with wide, puppy-dog eyes. "Just humor me."

"Thought you were coming with us." Finn grumbled impatiently.

"I'll meet up with you." Hiccup waved them away. "It's fine, you can start without me."

"Be careful out there. It's icy." Astrid quickly added, ignoring the raised eyebrow thrown to her by her husband.

"Mom," Finn gave her a deadpan expression through the open doorway. "We'll be back before you can say 'where's he got to now?'."

Benen stood in the doorway, about to follow the Haddock twins outside. But he turned back to the adult Haddocks with a warm smile. "Hey… don't beat yourselves up. You did the best you could."

Hiccup shrugged. "You do what you can, right?"

"Right. Finn and Adrianna… they've gone through a lot, but they're good, strong kids. The best way for them to learn is to experience troubles. At the end of the day, it's good for them. For all of you. And…" Benen paused, trying to put his thoughts to words. "No matter what happens or how rough the road gets, don't ever give up on them. They need you more than they'd lead you to believe."

"Benen…" Hiccup began, pausing when his voice caught in his throat. Astrid looked at him curiously but he quietly continued, "Thank you. For everything."

The cherished family friend opened his mouth to respond but the voice of an impatient teenager interrupted. "Benen, while we're still young!"

Benen and the Haddocks laughed with rolled eyes at the irony. It was as if Finn had forgotten they had an over 50 year age difference. Benen waved and closed the door behind him and Hiccup before trudging after Finn in the snow.

"Come on, Benen, we haven't got all day!" Finn called impatiently as the elderly man made his way over to the boy. His hands were shoved deep into his pockets as he bounced from one foot to the other, causing Benen's mouth to crack into an amused smile.

"Patience, Finn," the man replied. "Life is far too fleeting for it to be rushed along even further."

Finn snorted and began walking towards the village with his friend by his side. "We're just fixing a barn. It's not anything that significant."

"On the contrary, it's the simple, seemingly insignificant things that often matter the most," Benen countered. "Every action is like a pebble dropped into a pond. At first it seems like it won't do much. But the ripples continue to spread far beyond what we can see. Even the smallest acts, good or bad, carry repercussions that more often than not impact things in ways we can't even begin to imagine. I suppose the same could be said for people."

"I guess," Finn answered with a shrug. On any other day he might have pondered his companion's words further, but his mind was still foggy from the lingering effects of his illness.

The two fell into a comfortable silence for the rest of their trek. Any stranger could have easily mistaken the pair for a grandfather and his grandson taking a stroll through the snow. Oddly enough, the assumption wouldn't have been far from the truth.

They reached Mulch and Bucket's barn a few minutes later. Finn gasped as the structure came into view. The weight of the snow had apparently proven too much for the roof and had caused the wood to collapse in on itself, leaving a gaping hole.

"Hello there!" Mulch waved as Finn and Benen approached. "Bucket, we've got some more recruits," he yelled to the pail-wearing man currently descending a ladder from the roof.

"Oy!" Bucket yelled back with a wave of his own. "Thanks for coming out."

"Anything we can do to help," Benen said with a smile. "What would you like us to do?"

"Well, we've got a lot of debris inside that needs to be cleared," Mulch replied. "If it's not too much trouble."

"No trouble at all. Lead the way."

Mulch showed the pair to the entrance of the barn, where two other Berkian men were hauling out an assortment of splintered wood pieces. "Young Finn here can probably help move the larger beams that fell from the roof," Mulch remarked. "You think you can handle the smaller ones, Benen?"

"Of course," the older man answered. He turned to Finn. "Ready to put those muscles to good use?"

"Am I ever," Finn chuckled, and he headed toward the men who were dragging a particularly huge plank out into the snow.

For the next few minutes, Finn and Benen set to work helping the others. Aside from the occasional grunts of effort, things appeared to be going rather smoothly. That is, until a low creaking sound began emanating from the roof overhead.

Finn was gathering a large pile of broken wood into his arms when Benen heard the noise. The young boy appeared to have dismissed it as just another gust of wind blowing through the rafters. But something about the sound caused the older man to glance upward to the space above where his young friend was working. To the right of the boy was the hole where the snow had caused the roof to cave in. But to the left…

Benen dove.

What happened next was a blur. All Finn knew for the following few seconds was that suddenly there was a series of loud crashing noises and the sensation of being roughly shoved into a pile of snow. He could hear several shouts from the men as he struggled to stand. When he finally caught his bearings, his throat plummeted into his stomach.

The entire right side of the roof had collapsed onto the ground.

And Benen was nowhere to be seen.

" _BENEN_!" Finn screamed, sprinting forward toward the wreckage. Mulch, Bucket, and the three other men who had been helping were running into the barn from outside.

"Benen!" the boy cried, dropping to his knees and scrambling to get through the wreckage. _"Benen_!"

The cry of distress was met with a faint groan. "Benen!" Finn cried again, thrusting several smaller planks of wood aside. " _Help me_!" he shrieked desperately to the other men as they approached. "Benen's in there!"

But Mulch, Bucket, and the others didn't need to be told. They were already hauling as much debris aside as they could while Finn frantically dug through the mass of wood, still calling for his friend.

"Benen, Benen, we're going to get you out! Just hang on!"

"F-Fi—"

"BENEN!"

The last few pieces of wood Finn had cleared away revealed Benen's pallid face and torso poking out from beneath the rubble. His skin had turned as white as the snow outside and his eyes were wider than Finn had ever seen them, glassy with the tears of a suppressed cry of immense agony. But those things weren't what caused the boy's breath to freeze in his lungs. No, as horrid as the elderly man's face appeared, nothing compared to the gruesome sight just below his chest.

There, jutting out from just below the man's ribs, was a jagged piece of a broken roof beam. And surrounding it, a rapidly blooming pool of blood.

"Oh gods," Finn whispered, his hands beginning to tremble uncontrollably. "Oh gods, oh gods, Benen—"

"Fi-Finn," Benen croaked, weakly lifting an arm and clasping the boy's wrist with as much strength as he could muster.

"Oh _GODS_ —"

"There's too much debris on his legs. We'll never be able to move this unless we have help."

"We have to go get Hiccup!"

"Where is he?"

"L-lib-bbrary," Benen answered in barely a whisper. Finn heard feet pounding against the earth behind him, but his focus was so intently locked on the scarlet ocean spreading across Benen's abdomen that he barely registered the sound.

"We have to…I have to…Benen…Benen, we're gonna…"

"Finn," the old man wheezed, giving the boy's wrist a squeeze. Finn's gaze met his. The man opened his mouth again to say something more, but he was interrupted by a hacking cough that sent tiny red droplets splattering across Finn's face.

"We're gonna get you out of here," Finn said hoarsely, pushing down the urge to empty the contents of his stomach. He wrapped both hands around Benen's hand and squeezed it back tightly. "My dad's on the way. You're gonna be okay. Just hang in there."

"Finn," the man rasped again. He tried to lift his free hand to the boy's face, but just then a shudder of pain rippled through the old man's body, causing him to arch his back with a sharp gasp of anguish.

" _Benen_!" the boy shouted in terror, his hands flying to his friend's hopelessly bloodied torso. "Benen—"

"F-Finn—"

"Don't talk. Save your breath. They're coming, okay? Hang on."

"Finn, I c-ca—"

" _Don't_. You're going to be okay."

To the young Haddock's horror, Benen managed to gather enough strength to just barely shake his head. "F-Finn. I-I'm n-not—"

"NO!" Finn yelled, grabbing his friend's hand again. "You're going to make it!"

The old man blinked and the tears he had been holding in began spilling down his weathered cheeks. His lips moved as if he meant to speak again, but he had hardly any breath left and no sound came out.

"You're going to make it," Finn whispered shakily. He didn't know when they had started falling, but he suddenly became aware of his own hot tears burning trails down his face. "I promise."

But the old man's last ounce of strength seemed to have nearly been spent. He gazed sadly at the trembling boy above him and once again squeezed his wrist. "E-everything" – _gasp_ —"will be"— _gasp_ —"all right—"

" _NO!_ Don't talk like that – _you're going to make it_!"

"Finn…not…your fault..."

"Yes it is!" Finn wailed.

"Finn…" Benen's eyes began to cloud over.

" _STOP_!" the boy shrieked, letting go of the man's hand to desperately shake his shoulders. "Stop it! Don't do this, Benen. Stay with me. _Stay with me_!"

Benen's only response was a sad, wistful smile. He hated to leave Finn like this, but in his heart he knew there was no more time. Still, he sorely wished that he could impart upon the young Haddock just one thing more – one more sign of the care and gratitude he felt for this boy whom he had come to love as his own. And as his breathing began to slow and his vision began to blur into darkness, he suddenly remembered something. Something that he knew for certain would stay with his friend for the rest of his days, even after he himself was long gone.

The old man shakily lifted his free arm and slowly moved it toward Finn's body.

"Benen, _please_ -"

Benen extended a finger and pressed it firmly against the boy's chest. Then, locking eyes with Finn's, he uttered the only word he had enough strength left in him to say.

" _Fortis_."

And then he was gone.

"Fi—oh gods."

Finn hardly heard the voice of his father coming from the front of the barn, however, for all other sound was suddenly muted; it was like he had gone temporarily deaf. He clutched at Benen's lifeless face, tears dropping onto the man's cold skin.

" _Benen_!" He cried, his voice eerily echoing in the silence. _"BENEN!"_

"Finn! Finn, oh gods, Finn, I'm so sorry…" The boy felt hands coming to rest somewhere on his body but he wriggled himself free. He didn't even know who else was there or what was happening – everything except Benen was a blur of undefined shapes and sounds and nothing else mattered because Benen wasn't _doing_ anything, he was just lying there and wouldn't move…

"Benen, _please_! Please don't do this. You can't leave now! _Come back! Wake up_!"

"Finn—"

"Benen, I'm _sorry!_ Please don't go. _Please don't go!_ " _  
_

He felt hands pulling at him, suddenly trying to drag him away. He screeched and thrashed wildly in protest and practically flung himself forward, grabbing fistfuls of the bloody cloth in an attempt to cling to the body before him.

" _NO!"_ Finn screamed. "No, no, no, no, _NO_!"

"Finn, baby, you have to let him go."

He didn't know how long it had been or when his mother had shown up, but he didn't care. He wasn't going to leave. He _couldn't_ leave.

" _I'm not leaving him_!"

"Finn, honey, he's gone."

" _NO_!"

He clenched his fingers more tightly around the soaked fabric of Benen's shirt, but it was no use. A multitude of arms wrapped around him and finally ripped him free of the body, dragging him away. Finn flailed and kicked, trying desperately to make it back. But within moments the energy drained out of him, and all he could do was slump limply in the arms of his now weeping mother and watch helplessly as Toothless and a few more Viking men finally cleared away the rest of the rubble and carried Benen away.

_Benen._

His friend. His _best_ friend.

His best friend was gone.

Forever.

Finn fully succumbed to the tears then, allowing the sobs to wrack his body until everything around him once again blurred into nothingness.

* * *

The next few hours seemed to pass by in a whirlwind of activity. Astrid held her son for what felt like hours, allowing his tears to soak her shirt. She couldn't think of anything to say. It seemed empty to tell him that, though it didn't feel like it, things would one day be all right. She couldn't possibly know that herself. But her little boy seemed to find her presence somewhat soothing nonetheless.

Astrid was appreciative of her fellow Berkians as she walked Finn through the village square. Many of them averted their eyes or nodded respectfully to her as she gently led her son up to the house. His hands trembled so violently, she had to wash the blood off of them herself. When she drew him a bath, she waited outside the door for his blood soaked clothes. There would be no way she could get those stains out. She instead tossed them into the fire and felt an odd sense of satisfaction to watch them burn into nothingness before getting Finn some fresh clothes from his room.

Finn didn't speak when he emerged from the washroom. He didn't speak when his mother helped dry off his hair or when she hugged him again before taking him down to the village again. In fact, he was completely silent until the sun was beginning to set and the Haddock family had gathered together at Mara's.

By this time, Benen's body had been cleaned off and covered up to the neck with a sheet. When Astrid and Finn arrived, they immediately spotted Adrianna sitting on a chair in the farthest corner of the room. She didn't look up when they arrived, choosing instead of stare at her lap and slowly swing her legs back and forth in front of her. Hiccup and Mara were standing next to the body, talking in low voices. Astrid saw her husband nod respectfully to the healer before turning to them. His green eyes gazed at their son, searching for some form of reaction, but Finn only stared at Benen's prone form. Then he blinked and he seemed to realize what was happening. He sharply inhaled and bumped into Astrid, who gently held his shoulders.

"Finn," Hiccup stepped forward with his hands held out. "It's okay, buddy."

Astrid squeezed her son's shoulders, searching his face for any sign of panic. "Do you want to sit down?" After a moment Finn shakily nodded. "It's okay if you want to wait-"

Finn managed to shake his head and move himself forward. He didn't feel himself sink into the chair or his body slump forward. He stared into the blank face of Benen, his best friend of 6 and a half years. Benen looked so peaceful he seemed to be merely sleeping; such a sharp contrast to a few hours prior.

Anguish washed over him again when the images replayed in his head. He kept asking himself to wake up from this horrible nightmare, but deep down her knew there would be no waking. This wasn't a nightmare. This was just as real as the scars on his back from Ratri's cane that never seemed to fade. Only this was worse.

A swish of fabric pulled him back to the present and he noticed Mara kneeling beside him. He forced a placid expression on his face and continued to stare at the face of his old friend. "There was nothing anyone could have done, honey." The healer gently spoke. "I'm truly sorry. But at least he went quickly; I think that's how he would've wanted it."

Finn blinked hard, a memory resurfacing from the back of his mind. Then he remembered: his Poppy, Stoick the Vast, had also gone quickly. He was there one minute, gone the next.

It wasn't fair.

Why did the scum of the world live long, fulfilling lives without pain and suffering, like Ratri, and the sweetest, kindest people who wouldn't harm a fly had to suffer? Benen hadn't deserved to die. That rubble was meant to hit him besides, why hadn't Benen let things happen how they should? He's a strong kid, he could've bounced back from something like that. Why did Benen have to sacrifice himself? _Why_?

Finn felt his father's warm hand rest on his shoulder and gently squeeze. "Benen died a hero, Finn," Hiccup said as if reading his thoughts. "The others told me what happened. He wanted to protect you. He never would've lived with himself if you were hurt."

Finn felt a surge of emotion bubble in his chest and he dropped his head into his hand. He tried to prevent the sob from escaping and was only partially successful. His father put both hands on his shoulders and held him steady. He thought he heard a few sniffs from around the room but none of them could be feeling the pain he was feeling.

Benen had saved his life on Maero and he had saved Benen's. They'd understood the pain of slavery and weathered the after effects together. He'd been there when Benen took in his first breath of pure freedom. He'd sat beside Benen when he cried at his first full meal with their family because he'd never felt such kindness. With his own two hands he helped build the house Benen lived in. He and his father helped choose a sweet Gronckle to be Benen's companion. Numerous trinkets were in his room from activities they did together and countless spots on the island held memories. How could he possibly come back from this? Benen was his foundation, his rock: the foundation crumbles and the whole structure is in jeopardy.

"What..." He couldn't even recognize his own voice. "What am I supposed to do?"

Hiccup opened his mouth but no sound came out. He patted his son on the back again, taking several deep breaths but nothing came to him.

"We did everything together! I-It's not like I have any other friends to hang out with, not like Benen!" A tone of hysteria took over the teen's voice suddenly. "How ironic is that? The guy who has the best friend in the world-"

Hiccup walked around to face him. "Finn-"

"-last very long and every kid out there has friends that don't possibly compare-"

"Hey." Hiccup held Finn's face gently.

"And I took mine for granted-"

"No, no, Finn!" The boy slumped into quiet sobs on Hiccup's shoulder. The father's heart broke at his son's tears and words, wishing he had something within himself to make his pain go away. "Finn, you never took him for granted. Not a single day that you were with him."

"It's not fair..." Finn wailed.

"I know." Hiccup's forced his voice not to wobble. "I know, buddy, it's not. I wish there was something wise or profound I could say to make this better but, honestly, there isn't."

"Is that all you can say?" Finn whimpered through heavy sobs. "Just… it's not fair and there's nothing I can do about it?"

Astrid stood from her seat at Benen's bedside and lowered herself at Hiccup's side. She kissed Finn's temple, trying to think of something, anything to say to help him.

"He loved you." She finally settled on saying. "He'd want you to treasure his memory."

"But what about me?" Finn sniffled and wiped his nose. "I loved him. He knew that. Why'd he have to… to…"

"He was so proud of you." Astrid interrupted, brushing her son's hair out of his eyes with her fingers. "He always said you'd do great things one day. He had great dreams ad aspirations for you. He couldn't see that great future dashed to pieces."

"But he's not in it. He was the reason for all that greatness. I'm nothing." Finn shook his head as he stared at the buckles on his father's vest. "He uhh... he wanted to s-see me off on my first date. He'd always tease me about girls. And he wanted..." Finn's face twisted suddenly and the parents thought he'd break into another round of hysterics. "He deserved better."

Hiccup shook his head. "He was thankful for everyth-"

"Where were you?" Finn's eyes fixed on his father's with sudden intensity. "Why weren't you helping with the barn?"

Hiccup blinked. "I was coming late. Toothless and I were already on our way when-"

"Where. Were. You?"

Hiccup glanced at Astrid with a deep swallow. "I was... I took your sister to the library."

Finn let out noise that almost sounded like a derisive laugh. "Of course you were."

Hiccup hid his frown. "She deserves my time too-"

"So Benen _didn't_?" Finn spat. "Taking your favorite to the stupid _records center_ was more important than at least giving Benen a chance?"

" _Favorite_?" Hiccup sputtered.

"You heard me." Finn whispered in a dangerous undertone.

Hiccup exhaled carefully. "Finn... This is about Benen-"

"Doesn't matter. You're never there when you're needed most! You're always off doing something!"

"Finn!" Astrid exclaimed but the Haddock boy wasn't finished.

"She can't even walk to the _library_ without getting into trouble when people out there, people who need you, risk their lives for this village! But you're always blowing them off because gods forbid _she_ get hurt again!"

"Finn." Hiccup said in a calm, level voice. "That's enough. This isn't about that. It's not important right-"

"NOT IMPORTANT?" Finn roared, causing both his parents and even his sister to jump in alarm. "My best friend is _dead_ and you could have done something about it if you hadn't been playing favorites and now that's not important?"

"No, I- that was a poor choice of words. I'm sorry-"

"No, you know what? That was the perfect choice of words." Finn's voice had lowered to a dangerous volume, his blue eyes icy cold. "Because now I know exactly what your priorities are."

Hiccup's eyebrows furrowed. "Finn, how could I have known this would happen today? I'm not perfect, I can't see the future! Benen knew that he didn't have a lot of time left anyway!"

Finn narrowed his eyes into slits. "You don't know that."

"You know as well as I do that Benen wasn't a liar."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Finn asked. Too late, Hiccup wished he hadn't spoken. Realization dawned on his son's face. "He told you someth- he told you and didn't tell me! What was wrong with him? Why didn't he tell me?"

"Finn," a calm voice came from his left and he turned his head to face Mara, "you need to calm down."

"You." Finn seethed. "Why didn't _you_ say anything!"

"Benen felt not telling you, for now," Mara emphasized, "was best. He didn't want you to worry-"

"Now he's gone!" Finn shouted. He faced his parents and shook his head, not even glancing at his silent sister. "I can't trust anybody! The only one I could trust was Benen, and he's gone!"

Hiccup gasped. "Finn, that's not true-"

"No! You're the worst out of everyone! You know, for once I can actually see eye to eye with her!" Finn pointed at Adrianna, who jerked at being brought up. Her green eyes widened as Finn continued yelling at Hiccup. "I thought you were somebody amazing. I actually thought that maybe I could look up to you like I did Poppy and I did Benen." The boy shook his head. "No, that's the ruse isn't it? When things are good, everyone loves you. But once things go wrong, that's when the true colors show."

Hiccup shook his head desperately. "Finn-"

"You might be a legend across the Archipelago, but you're a terrible father! Even though she's the favorite, you can't even stick around to make _her_ feel better about her problems! You're unreliable, you're unpredictable… you're nothing but an old fool who hides behind real heroes to make yourself look better!"

Astrid gasped. "FINN!"

The damage was done. Hiccup backed up until his back hit the wall. He clamped his jaw to keep it from trembling.

"I'm done with you and your lies and deception and empty words!" Finn bellowed, his voice echoing through the house.

Hiccup swallowed. "Finn-" Finn stepped back toward the door. "No please, not you too."

The teenager took one last mournful look at Benen before marching out the door, letting it slam against the frame. The room was completely silent as everyone stood looking at the door. Then Adrianna's chair scraped against the floorboards as she stood.

Mara pointed at her. "Sit down, Anna."

"No." Adrianna raised her chin defiantly before looking her father in the eyes. "Hurts doesn't it? Being abandoned."

Astrid marched forward. "Adri- Adrianna!" The girl left the room before her mother could apprehend her and the door slammed for the second time in thirty seconds.

Hiccup closed his eyes and let himself slide to the floor in a heap. He buried his face in his shaking hands and tried to steady his breathing. Both of his kids hated him. Both of them _and_ Benen was gone. He felt his wife's hand on his shoulder, her arms pulling him in for a hug. As he rested his head on her shoulder, he felt the wetness from his eyes soaking the fabric of her shirt. His whole body shuddered as he sat there, allowing her to stroke his hair and his back as comfortingly as she could.

"What... what could I have done?" he wept. "Tell me what I could've done to save him. To save _any_ of them?"

"You did everything you could." He heard Astrid whisper in his ear through her own tears.

"Not enough." Hiccup let out another choking sob and clung to her even tighter. " _Never_ enough."

"Shh." Astrid hushed him, unable to think of a response. "Just let it out."

And let it out he did. Hiccup's hoarse sobs were the only noises in the room for what felt like hours. Mara had gone to tend to another patient, leaving the Haddocks alone. Hiccup felt like his whole heart had burst open. He had failed his daughter, his son, his dear friend, his village… he had failed _everyone_.

"Why, Benen?" Hiccup whimpered into his wife's shoulder. "Why now? _Why_?"

He felt his wife shakily crying against him and hung on tighter. One thing they both knew without a shadow of a doubt: nothing would ever be the same after this.


	19. The Flame

Finn blinked awake early the next morning, vaguely aware of his surroundings. His whole mind seemed to be singularly focused on the horrible nightmares that had plagued him the whole night, some of Ratri and his cane, others of his best friend dead in a pool of his own blood. The Haddock boy immediately got out of his bed and began throwing on his clothes as quickly as he could. Only one person would know why he was suddenly inundated with horrific images and an constant feeling of powerlessness.

It was as Finn was pounding down the stairs, not bothering to keep quiet, that he suddenly stopped, a horrible sinking feeling in his gut. Benen wasn't going to be at home. The nightmares of his best friend lying dead in his own blood were more than just nightmares.

The boy slowly lowered himself until he was sitting down on the step. He placed his head in his hands and took several deep breaths, forcing himself not to lose it right there, not to let out the wail he felt deep within his soul. He didn't realize how long he was sitting there until he heard footsteps just behind his head. He looked up to see his sister descending the staircase, still dressed in her long pink nightgown and fuzzy, yak fur slippers. She sat down next to him on the stair, her blonde head several inches below his own. Ordinarily he would have thought it funny how small she was compared to him but he couldn't get Benen out of his head.

Adrianna was quiet for a few seconds before speaking up. "I know what loneliness feels like... So if you need someone to talk to-"

"Anna, I'm not you! And I'm not a girl!" Finn suddenly snapped, taken aback at how hoarse his voice sounded. He sighed deeply when his sister flinched slightly. He knew it wasn't fair to take this out on her when she was on his side for once. He mentally reminded himself that she had loved Benen almost as much as he had before speaking again. "I just... don't act like the wise guy here because suddenly I'm _feeling_ something. Okay?"

"I... I'm not-"

"No I know you're just trying to help, but honestly you're no different than anyone. Same empty words whether intended or not, the words don't _help_. The promises don't _do_ anything. The wisdom from people doesn't make you feel warm and fuzzy. You should understand that more than anyone." Finn said as patiently as he could before standing up and going back upstairs.

Adrianna remained seated on the stair, watching him ascend the staircase and walk back into his room, shutting the door behind him. A part of her felt like she should have been offended by his words but something about his voice surprised her. For a long time, she thought he was oblivious to things like feelings and emotional pain but he wasn't. She wasn't sure whether or not to be glad he finally understood a little bit of her own struggle. Was she supposed to feel anything except sorry for him?

Still feeling conflicted, the Haddock girl got to her feet and headed to the kitchen to make herself some breakfast. She would have to think about her brother's emotions some other time.

* * *

If Finn had been able to focus on his surroundings, he would have been touched that so many people showed up for Benen's funeral that afternoon. The crowd was so thick, he was glad he'd been leading it because he certainly wouldn't have been able to see Benen's ship otherwise. The silent crowd watched as Finn got to his knees next to the small ship to inspect it, making sure that it was perfect before shoving off. A few trinkets lined the body, which was covered in a thin white sheet. Finn recognized a small wooden carving he had made his friend a few weeks after they'd gotten back from Maero. He wanted to thank whoever had thought to include it but he suspected it might be his father. He wasn't ready to talk to _him_ again.

"So uhh..." Finn cleared his throat, speaking in a low voice so that no one could hear except Benen. "I'm not so good at this, last words. I just..." Finn bit his lip, his heart drumming against his ribs. What could he possibly say to sum up the best six and a half years of his life? To convey how close he and Benen had been, how much he had loved him? There were no words. Nothing profound or important. Nothing at _all_. "I wish I could say something amazing that'll make you proud but all I can say is that I'll miss you. More than anything."

Finn straightened up and nodded to his father. Hiccup shoved the ship out to sea and, aside from the gentle lapping of the small waves on the shore, there was absolute silence. Finn stood rigid, bow and arrow in hand and waiting for the ship to get far enough away from the shore to burn safely without igniting anything else. A small part of him wanted to chase it down and give Benen a few more final words but he couldn't think of anything else to say. He tightened his jaw as Benen's ship sailed farther and farther out. Hiccup placed a hand on his shoulder when it had sailed out far enough and gestured to the small fire beneath them. The Haddock boy shakily reached down and ignited the tip of the arrow.

As he pulled it back, his hand coming to rest beside his head, Finn stopped. His hands were shaking too hard. If he let go, the arrow probably wouldn't even travel two feet. Small, warm hands rested on his and he looked over to see his sister standing beside him, silent tears streaming down her face. Almost without thinking, he let go.

The flame traveled in a high arc through the air before landing directly on target. The cloudy sky was suddenly filled with flames propelled forward, all hitting the ship and igniting it so that it almost looked like the sun had come out again. Finn watched as the sky almost turned to fire, several of the dragons paying their respects alongside the Vikings, and dearly wished Benen could have seen this. He would have been overwhelmed with gratitude. He probably would have shed a few happy tears. Finn fought off the crazy urge to smile at the thought. The face of his best friend, wiping tears out of those sky blue eyes, filled him with an ache he could hardly endure. There was a flicker of happiness in there somewhere but it was stifled by the agonizing pain that plagued him every second since his friend had died.

Finn silently watched the ship burn until it sank and only a few clouds of smoke remained. He turned around and was slightly surprised to see most of the crowd still standing behind him. Of all people, his mother was absent, as were the Larsons and several families with small children. But the rest of them still gazed out over the sea and watched as the clouds of smoke finally dissipated. Finn knew it was time for a quick lunch before they all would meet in the Great Hall for the rest of the service. His father wanted to gather everyone together to share stories about Benen. Finn knew he had to go, there was no way he would miss out on such a vital part of honoring his best friend, but he dreaded it so much his stomach ached. He didn't know if he could stand listening to all the amazing things Benen had done. Because there was no summing up his elderly friend's life in a short period of time, no way of expressing just how amazing and how admirable he had been.

Finn dragged his feet on the way to the Great Hall, falling behind the crowd. He saw someone out of the corner of his eye walking beside him and it took several seconds before he felt like turning to see who it was. Adrianna walked in silence with him for a while, still wiping tears out of her eyes. Finn used to joke about how often she would cry, sometimes over the silliest things, but this time he was almost thankful for her tears. Thankful that someone was responding the appropriate way when he himself couldn't figure out how to react or emote at all.

His sister didn't speak until they had reached the entrance to the Great Hall. They stood in front of it for a few seconds before turning to face each other. And then Finn did something even he didn't expect. He stepped forward and placed his arms around her. She was taken aback at this sudden affection but she held him tightly. It was at least a minute before Finn finally broke away, wiping his eyes and blinking to prevent any future tears.

"Don't... don't get used to that." he said shakily as he straightened up and determinedly fixed his eyes on his feet.

Adrianna gave him a tiny smile. "Never." As Finn opened the door, she spoke up again. "Finn?"

"Hm?"

The Haddock girl sighed deeply before looking him directly in the eye. "Love you."

Finn felt his throat constrict but he dry swallowed and nodded. "You too, Anna."

* * *

Cold. Empty. Alone.

That's the only way Erick could describe what he felt. A cacophony of words continuously flitted through his mind, unwilling to give him rest or peace with what had happened. There was only a dull ache in the pit of his stomach, a heavy weight on his shoulders that wouldn't ease, a tear in his soul so wide and deep that nothing in the world could heal.

Except time. That's what everyone had said. _Give it time_ , they'd said almost mechanically, as if it would stop the grief, as if it would stop the pain. Nothing could heal this. The loss of someone so close, so special… so _vital_. Nothing could fill a crater so vast.

Hiccup and Magnus were the only two who'd held him in their arms for an extended time. With Magnus, he'd cried. It had just happened. With Hiccup, he'd merely stood in his friend's arms and buried his face in his shoulder, unblinking, uncaring of anything else going on around them.

Hiccup had grasped his shoulders and nearly in tears apologized that they hadn't gotten home in time. But Erick wasn't angry with him. No, he was angry with the one person who'd sworn to bring back the cure, and had failed. He was angry with the girl who claimed they were best friends and said she'd do anything to help him, as any best friend would. He felt cheated, used by someone who didn't know what she was talking about. If that's what having a best friend meant, then he'd rather be alone. Making empty promises was too painful. Too costly.

No one had talked to him in hours and he was okay with that. Benen's funeral had been that afternoon. It made him think of his father's funeral only a few days before. Hiccup had given his father a funeral worthy of a king, and deep down he _was_ grateful. But he'd only accepted a soft pat on the back before walking blankly away from the crowds to be alone, ignoring the pitying expressions cast his way. He didn't need their pity or their comfort. He didn't want it.

And now he found himself walking away from yet another funeral. He walked until he found himself sitting by the cliff side beyond the forge. He couldn't remember when he'd sat down or drew up his knees to his chest or rested his chin against his knees. He could vaguely hear the waves crashing against the rocks below and the seagulls squawking overhead. All around him was quiet.

Erick couldn't remember when he'd cried last. He'd cried with Magnus and Gregory until he pulled himself out of their arms, forcing the tears to stop and walking away from the scene. He'd stepped outside the Hall to calm himself, tell himself it was just a bad dream, his father was okay, he was just sleeping as he had been for the past days…

But upon returning, he found Mara pulling a white sheet over his father's prone form. He watched his father's face disappear from view. He'd cracked, slumping against a bench and shutting out any attempts of comfort by his family. At some point he'd cried himself to sleep, exhaustion charting its own course. And he'd woken to Hiccup and Astrid's echoing whispers about Adrianna's _problems_.

Anger swelled in his chest a mite, but was quickly extinguished by grief's cold fingers. Benen's death had brought back all the emotions he thought he'd pushed down. Benen had been an old man who was ready for death but Erick never would have thought his own _father_ would leave him so early. He wouldn't be there when he came of age and was allowed to participate in village meetings. He wouldn't be there for his wedding day and wouldn't meet his grandchildren.

Despair clawed at his insides and he choked it down by digging his nails into his arms, forcing himself to remain placid. He had to keep it together. He had to beat this; he was better than this.

Soft footfalls sounded behind him and he heard the swish of material. Erick forced himself not to care as someone sat down beside him. He expected Magnus or Aud… a small part of him wished it was his mother, but he knew she'd enclosed herself in the house as soon as the funeral was over, even if he'd left before she did.

Out of the corner of his eye he could see blonde hair. Maybe it was Adrianna… if it was, he'd surely lose it… but no, he could tell by the woman's size that she was bigger than Adrianna. So who-

"I'm so sorry, Erick."

For the first time in countless hours, Erick showed emotion: surprise. His neck made a crick sound that only he heard as he turned and saw Astrid sitting beside him. Her braid was loose and wispy, her skin still a bit clammy and her eyes dark with grief of her own. The breeze was biting against her skin; he could tell from the goosebumps racing up her arms. He finally realized how cold he was at the observation, but made no move to stand or warm himself up. He didn't care. He only continued to stare at her in surprise. Of all the people who'd come…

"I hate this. So many goodbyes. We never wanted this to happen, least of all to your family." Astrid murmured. "And I know things have fallen apart with you and Adri… but if you _ever_ want to come over and talk to either me or Hiccup, don't hesitate. You're always welcome in our home." Erick blinked unresponsively and she pressed, "You know that, don't you?"

The teenager dry swallowed before turning his eyes back to the cliff. He heard Astrid sigh softly to herself, figuring that she was wishing she could do something for him. He wanted to tell her to go away, to not try because nothing would help. But he couldn't open his mouth to speak.

"Erick… honey," Erick heard her scoot closer to him and almost instantly felt the warmth she brought when her knees touched his ankle. "I don't want to say what everyone says… you do need time. But don't shut us out. There are people that are here for you, who want to help you. When you're ready, give yourself a chance. That's all I ask." Astrid rested a searing hand on his shoulder blade and he blinked, a small frown forming on his face. "You are loved and we've got you."

"That's what he said."

Astrid blinked, shocked just as much as he was that he'd spoken. Erick mentally frowned at how terrible he sounded but didn't try to fix it. He didn't care.

"What?" Astrid asked gently.

Erick heard himself respond, "The last night. He woke up and we talked."

Astrid smiled a little. "So you got to talk to him… that's good."

"Except he lied." His vocal chords constricted painfully. He finally cleared his throat.

"Lied?"

"Yeah," Erick looked down at his boots. "The last thing he ever said to me was, 'come here, son. I've got you.' He said that and he… left." He clenched his jaw, swallowing hard as suddenly his eyes burned and he felt the desperation welling up again. He shook his head and jerked to stand, his limbs creaking from misuse and cold. Astrid stared up at him with dread in her eyes as he bit out in a wobbly voice: "Don't make me promises you can't keep. I've lost two for two in the past week, three if you want to count Benen. I don't need more… grief."

Erick turned on his heel and stalked back to the village, even as Astrid stood and called after him. He ignored her. The cold burned his lungs as he tried to calm the storm rising in his chest. The pain burned his soul like he'd swallowed a hot coal from the forge. The heat stung his eyes, making him blink rapidly to steady his emotions. He found himself running to his house long before he knew it, throwing open the door and charging up the stairs before anyone could say a word to him.

He slammed his door shut and locked it, panting and eyes darting around his bedroom for some sort of relief. Something to stem the throbbing wound in his chest, anything to ease the pain. All around him were memories of his father—pictures he'd drawn as a child, rocks they'd collected over the years, his first works in the leather shop. Everything from the quilt on his bed to the drop of white paint on his boots from painting the barn that past summer, everything had a memory. And every memory increased his agony.

"No… no, Dad…" Erick cried out, slumping to the floor with his hands in his hair. "Dad… Dad…" The tears finally rained down his face and he curled into himself, begging to every god he knew to help him. "Come back… Daddy, p-please come back to me, I need you."

If anyone heard him, he didn't care. Not his mother, not Magnus, not Gregory or Aud, not even Charger. No one could help this. He was truly alone. The fire in his soul burned and flamed no matter how hard he sobbed into his hands or his shoulders shook. The only thing he knew was grief and pain and the ever-burning flame within.

Long after the day turned to night and his face felt crisp with dried tears, he heard the soft rap of knuckles on the door over his head.

"Erick?" Magnus. She sounded exhausted. "Can I come in?" Some small part of his soul wanted to reach out and accept her help… her love. But in the end, grief won. He didn't want her to come in. He didn't want her help. He wanted to be alone. "Erick please?" He couldn't even stir up the energy to ask her to leave him alone. He felt drained of all feeling and emotion and energy. Eventually he heard her footfalls as she retreated to the downstairs.

Time. They said time was the answer. Time had no meaning anymore. Only pain. Only grief. Only the flame.

* * *

Finn had thought he could handle the second part of Benen's service. He thought he could listen to all the stories about Benen and smile, remembering all the memories they had together with the same sort of fondness he had for his memories with his Poppy.

He had been wrong.

Only thirty minutes had passed before Finn couldn't take it any longer. Abruptly he stood from his seat and walked to the door as quickly as he could, the beloved necklace Benen had given him clutched in his hand the entire way. Though he really didn't care, he was glad he had sat toward the back of the Hall. Fewer people looked his way when he stood. But he didn't have to look to know his parents were watching. He could almost feel their eyes burning through the back of his head.

He forced himself not to care as he shoved the mighty doors open and stepped out into the cold. It was windier than it had been and the force of the cold blew his hair back to the root. He stood there trying to control his heavy breathing and the sudden chills coursing through his body, but despite these distractions he couldn't stop the rising panic.

Benen was gone. He was really, truly _gone_.

The boy couldn't understand how kept possibly forgetting it. He would be thinking about the accident and the fear and the blood until he'd jump up and march out with the intention to talk to his best friend because he _always_ made things better. Benen made him calm, made him see the opposite side of things that made him upset. Benen had always been the answer to every problem, every qualm, quarrel, and question.

Finn could hear the sound of his blood pulsing in his ears even over the howling wind. Who could he talk to? What could anyone say that could help?

He didn't realize he was running until he missed a step and slipped, tumbling headlong into a snow bank. He vaguely wondered in his panic how he'd gotten down the stone steps so quickly, but it didn't matter. He had to get away from the houses filled with happy families, the fake sympathetic smiles, the hollow looks of grieving villagers who'd also lost someone. He couldn't stand to be around his depressed family any longer because they couldn't help him. Nobody could.

The Haddock boy felt a branch slap his face, probably cutting his cheek, but he kept going. He didn't know where he was going and he didn't care. It didn't matter. The snow swirled around him as he dodged trees, bushes, and boulders in the dark. It wasn't until he tripped on a sharp stone and skidded to a stop that he stopped and took in his surroundings.

The cemetery.

Finn backed up on his hands and feet, willing himself to get up. But the ground was slippery and his body gasped for air from his sudden trek. He looked around, willing himself to calm down. Of all the places he had to run, why hadn't he run somewhere comforting? The gods must hate him.

But then a larger tombstone caught his eye from the back corner. As if his feet had a mind of their own, he shakily stood and walked toward it. His vision swam for a moment and he growled in irritation at the after effects from the sickness. He blinked long and hard, willing the world to stop dancing. Eventually he made it over to the grave and he slid to his knees.

"Poppy," Finn said plainly. His voice was hollow and his breath fogged in front of his face. He hadn't visited Poppy's graves since his Nana died. He thought about the day his parents told him his Poppy had died and he felt the same desperate pain in his chest. Except this was worse because he was older. This time, he understood what death was and just how cruel it could be.

Thick, hot tears poured down his face and he leaned his forehead against the stone. "Poppy… w-what am I supposed to do? T-tell me what to do. I f-feel so alone."

Finn couldn't remember the last time he'd felt so alone. Never before had he been reduced to sobbing on his grandfather's grave, but every kid has fits of loneliness now and then. Every memory that came to mind had Benen's hand in it, even if they hadn't been doing anything. A simple hello as they passed each other on the street was enough to make his day. Benen had touched his heart in every way imaginable and there was no denying it or getting around it. He simply couldn't wish for Benen to cease to exist in his mind. He couldn't wish to be struck with amnesia to make the pain go away.

Something niggled in the back of his mind like an old memory resurfacing. As if he was reliving the past, he touched the hidden slave mark under his hair beside his left ear.

_They hadn't been home long—a week perhaps. They'd returned from Maero and gotten Benen established in their Poppy's old home, which had sat dormant for many years. He remembered sitting at the table while Benen walked to and fro dusting and wiping shelves and sweeping. No amount of prodding could convince the elderly man to sit down and rest._

" _Why would I sit and rest while I'm blessed with a home to clean?"_

_Finn scoffed. "You're hopeless."_

_Benen smiled widely at the 7-year-old boy and continued his work. The boy was impetuous and snarky for one so young, and being free from Ratri's clutches only encouraged such behavior. Benen firmly believed he would have lots of work to do for many years to come with this one. "Good, strong hands can do much hard work. But you know what they say, many hands make hard work light!"_

_Finn raised an eyebrow at the man, making him chuckle. "Do you always speak in riddles?"_

" _Not always." The old man's blue eyes twinkled. "I suspect I speak in riddles more when I'm excited."_

" _And backwards."_

" _Hm?"_

" _What?"_

_The two stared at each other in confusion before they burst into laughter. Benen leaned against a pole and sighed heavily, wiping his brow. "I haven't laughed like that in… many years."_

_Finn scowled. "Not even allowed to laugh."_

" _Hm? Oh," Benen shrugged. "I believe laughter from a slave would make the master suspicious. The occasional slave will become rebellious and pull a prank on his master. The consequences for such crimes were…" The elderly man waved his hand to dismiss the topic. "No matter. Here I can laugh freely and I will do so as much as I can."_

_Benen swept for a few moments longer until he really noticed the silence. Finn hadn't replied like usual. He turned to see Finn leaning against one elbow and his other hand gently scratching beside his left ear. The elderly man smiled sympathetically. "I remember when my scar itched. Most annoying thing that's ever crossed my body, I think."_

_The boy's eyes curiously searched Benen's head for a scar, but he found none. "Where's yours?"_

" _Oh, under here." Benen patted his breast right over his heart. "Yours is a burn mark so it will take less time to heal. It should stop bothering you soon."_

_Finn frowned. "What's yours?"_

" _A tattoo. But no matter; we need not discuss such things anymore." Finn's face fell and Benen stopped, curious. "Unless there's something you want to talk about?"_

" _No... yes?" The boy huffed._

_Benen set his broom aside and sat down in the chair adjacent to Finn. "What's bothering you?"_

_Finn stubbornly stared at the wood grain table, his fingers tracing the grooves and random shapes. His foot tapped against the floor beneath the table. But he made no moves or sounds to reply._

_Benen had learned early on just how stubborn this strong little man was. As soon as he moved to Berk and met his entire family, he_ really _understood. Stubbornness was not only in his blood, but also in his nature. It was practically instinct to refuse to comply. Luckily, he was a patient man._

_His only problem: he was still learning about the boy. How far could he push? How far should he push?_

" _You know what the hardest thing for me has been all these years?" Benen asked presently. Finn blinked but he could tell the boy was listening. "Not having anyone to talk to. Loneliness. This life is a hard and lonely road for someone who has no friends to share it with." He cocked his head to see eye to eye with Finn, and finally blue eyes met blue. "We're friends right?"_

_Finn nodded instantly as if this were the most ridiculous question to have ever graced his ears._

" _Then I will_ always _be here to listen, Finn. It takes two to converse. It's only up to you if you want to talk. All you have to do is speak." Benen smiled and patted the boy's hand, moving to stand. He hoped the boy would mull over his words for a while and come around over time._

_Finn spoke before he could fully stand. "I still see him."_

_Benen relaxed back in his chair with a confused face. "Him?"_

_Finn look away in shame. "Ratri."_

" _Ah." Benen nodded._

" _I…" Finn licked his lips. "I don't think about him. I try to ignore… all that happened. But after I go to bed, I-I have bad dreams. He s-stands over me hitting me and he won't s-stop." Finn slumped further into his seat; to his horror, tears were beginning to burn his eyes. "I wake up all s-shaky and s-sweaty and I can't go back to sleep." The tears spilled onto his cheeks. Finn, completely embarrassed to be crying in front of someone he really didn't know very well, hid his face in his hands as he desperately tried to stem the flow. "I-I don't know what to do, Benen, I can't talk to anyone, nobody knows what that's like-"_

 _"Hey hey now, it's all right." Benen held the boy's shoulders gently. He frowned sadly at the little boy trying_ so _hard not to show emotion. "Finn, don't hold it in. You're still young; you have the right to feel. Especially about something like that." The boy sniffed once more, tears still flowing down his cheeks, and the elderly man smiled gently. "Come here." Finn instantly buried his face in the man's shoulder. Benen hated how the strong boy in his arms shook like a leaf in a tempest. He took a slow deep breath. "I know pain and suffering better than anyone. I've had a very long, very hard life. But I forced myself to believe in those especially hard times that something good would come of it someday. And it was true: here I am now, thanks to you."_

_Finn swallowed thickly. "You make it sound easy because you're old."_

_Benen laughed and tousled the boy's hair. "We mature with the damage, Finn. Not with the years." Finn stared at the old man for a few moments before nearly crushing him in a hug. Benen jumped in surprise but smiled widely, hugging him back. "Things will be all right someday, Finn. I guarantee it."_

_Yes, no matter how long it would take, if it took until the last day of his life, he'd be sure the boy would be fine. Just fine._

An owl hooted over his head somewhere, jerking Finn out of his reverie. His forehead felt like it had frosted into his grandfather's gravestone. The tears had practically turned to ice on his cheeks. He felt dead and cold both on the inside and out. A small part of him wondered how long it had been, but he forced himself not to care.

Against his will, he shivered against the cold. His rapid sprint this far into the woods winded him and he could feel his throat tighten with every dry swallow. Mara would not be pleased. Too bad he was too far gone to care. Thoughts of his warm bed at home nearly pulled him out of his stupor, but he didn't move. The thought of facing his family, even walking through the same room to get up the stairs to his own little sanctuary, was enough to keep him rooted to the ground.

He could almost feel his formerly strong will bending. He didn't want to go home. He didn't want to stand up. A small, selfish part of him just wanted to freeze to death out here. Maybe the ice could dull the pain. Without restraint, he closed his eyes and blocked out the world around him.

* * *

Toothless warbled over his shoulder for his human to hurry up before trotting further into the trees. Hiccup shoved his hands into his pockets, keeping a wary eye out for his son in all directions. Toothless had easily gotten a scent from outside the Great Hall and so far they'd followed it for nearly a mile into the woods. Where had his little man gone?

Hiccup's prosthetic slipped on a hidden rock and his knee buckled. He just managed to catch himself before ramming his knee. He huffed in mild irritation and stood back up. If his leg gave out on him now, he'd tear his hair out. That's the last thing he needed right now. He had to find Finn and try to talk to him.

They hadn't spoken a single word since Finn's blowup the previous evening. The father tried everything in his power to not hold a grudge against his son for his angry, hurtful words—easier said than done. Adrianna had also shut him out completely. He wondered how long he could survive without his children's attention. Once again, he thanked the gods for Astrid and her faithfulness. Without her… no, no need to entertain those kinds of thoughts. Things were bad enough as it was.

Toothless sniffed the ground and then the air. Finally he barked with a nod of his head to their left. They continued on the random path with heavy hearts. Hiccup couldn't honestly believe Benen was gone. Olaf had been a hard blow; it was hard to consider who could possibly replace such a great man and asset in the council. He feared he'd have to search long and hard for someone as wise as Olaf.

But Benen… there was _no_ replacing Benen. It was simply impossible for such a kind, loving being like him to be replicated.

Toothless finally led him into a small clearing and Hiccup stopped in surprise. The cemetery. Why had Finn come here of all places? The father shook his head and walked past the first of the tombstones. It didn't matter why. Nothing makes sense when you're grieving.

Toothless bounded ahead of him suddenly and before looking, Hiccup knew exactly where he was going. In the back corner of the cemetery were his parents' graves, and curled up against his father's was Finn.

The Night Fury sniffed and nuzzled the boy's hair, growling when he didn't respond. Hiccup blinked out of his trance and knelt down in front of his son. Resting his hand against Finn's forehead, he frowned at the chill he felt, but was pleased to see him hum softly in response to the warmth.

Hiccup sighed softly, pausing to gaze at both his parent's graves. "I could use some great wisdom right about now. Anything to tell me what to do. At least to help my son… either of my kids. I feel so… useless." He frowned at the snow like it had uttered the distasteful word. His mother had _hated_ the word. He sighed again and looked at his son. "Unfortunately for both of us, buddy, dead men don't speak."

The chief turned toward Toothless and slid his saddlebags back to create more room. Gently he prodded Finn until he seemed partially semi-conscious. He expected the boy to at least argue, but Finn instead rested his forehead against his father's chest. With that response, Hiccup knew his son needed to get warm quickly.

When Hiccup had Finn carefully strapped into the saddle in the front seat, he told Toothless to take off. "Let's go home, bud." Finn didn't make a sound or movement as the cemetery grew smaller below them.

* * *

"'ere ya go, lassie." Gobber smiled toothily at Adrianna as he handed her a rather large mug of tea.

Despite its size, she accepted it and was rather surprised to note it tasted pretty good. "Thanks Gobber. I didn't know you made tea."

Gobber sat down at the stool beside her, sending a short sympathetic glaze to the silent Astrid sitting at the head of the table with her hands wrapped around her own mug. "Oh yeh, I can make lotsa good teas, like chamomile, peppermint, green tea-"

The door suddenly opened in a whirlwind of snowflakes. Hiccup stepped inside first with Toothless at his heels, and Finn draped across the saddle, clearly unconscious. Astrid nearly spilled her tea when she jumped up. "Finn!"

"Relax, he's just sleeping." Hiccup unbuckled a few of the straps and pointed at the upstairs for Toothless to take him up. Astrid followed the Night Fury upstairs to help get her son to bed. Hiccup removed his coat, staring at the floorboards, the walls, his shoe, anywhere but the table where his daughter sat. He had a vague feeling she stared at him while sipping her… _monstrous_ cup of tea. But honestly her words from yesterday still stung even after he'd tried so very hard to make amends. It hurt like nobody's business to be scorned and unforgiven when that's all he wanted: forgiveness.

"Are yeh just goin' ta stare at your coat all night?"

"Sorry Gobber," Hiccup apologized, turning toward the kitchen.

Gobber watched him pour hot water into a mug and stare at it for another few minutes. Adrianna swirled her tea around, acting as if she didn't have a care in the world that her father was also grieving. She shouldn't fuel the fire, but he wasn't about to lecture her.

"So," Gobber broke the silence again, raising his mead. "Where was he?"

Hiccup flinched. "The cemetery."

Adrianna promptly stood. "Thanks for the tea, Gobber."

"Oy hold on, lass-" Adrianna ignored the old smith and continued up the stairs. Apparently there would be no talk of cemeteries while she was around. Neither man moved until they heard the sound of her door closing, then Hiccup covered his eyes with his hand. Gobber watched him swallow hard and lean fully against the counter.

Astrid closed Finn's door and came down the stairs. She noticed Hiccup beginning to pull on his hair and was at his side within seconds. "Hey, it's okay, come here." Hiccup turned and buried his face in her shoulder. Gobber watched on sadly; he remembered the day Hiccup became chief. It was supposed to be an exciting day when it finally came. But it came so suddenly and so unexpectedly that the young man had been thrown into harsh leadership roles and high stress situations with no time to grieve for the passing of his own father.

Now Hiccup looked the same as he did then. Unsure, confused, lost. A chief had to hold up for his people but inside his own home, he _had_ to let the walls down. He had to feel or there would be consequences later on.

Hiccup sat up and wiped the few tears off his face. "I-I just… I-I don't know what to do. Addie won't give me a chance and Finn… I-I don't even know where to start."

"Give 'im time." The couple turned towards Gobber and he continued, "Finn will need time to grieve. Lots and lots of time. He won't get over this easily. Mom, he's naturally closer to you, always has been. Don't cling to him, but always be there for him. He'll come to you first no doubt." Astrid nodded, her face hard in determination. "Hiccup…" Gobber sighed. "The boy's just angry. Both of them are. They're angry, they're lost and confused. Finn's stubborn and Adrianna's… stubborn and tougher than she looks. They got both of those things from you so you need to do the same. Give them time and space, but don't back down. They'll come around eventually."

Hiccup sighed heavily with a nod. His eyes were red and puffy from both crying and lack of sleep. "Any other advice?"

"Not for today. Well, except get some sleep. You're going to need it." Gobber stood and hobbled over to give each of them a hug, which they appreciated. They saw him to the door and bid him goodbye when he left.

Astrid turned to her husband after he closed the door, waiting for him to make eye contact. He finally did and she gave him a small smile. "Just another storm," He nodded. "We've weathered some pretty bad ones. We can beat this too. We just have to remember Benen. But Gobber's right; the kids will come around." She held his face in her hands when he didn't make eye contact. "They will."

Hiccup exhaled and kissed her forehead gently. "For both our sakes, I hope so."


	20. Weakness

In the wake of a tragedy, sometimes it can be almost unnerving how fast people tended to move on. But to those the tragedy affected the most, moving on seemed to be an impossible feat. Finn was a prime example. For weeks, he shut himself in his room, not even coming down for meals. On the rare occasions he did come downstairs, he was sullen and moody. But Hiccup and Astrid couldn't figure out what to do with him and anything they tried only seemed to make it worse.

Mara was over periodically to make sure Finn wasn't wasting away completely. But soon her sights were set on someone else entirely.

"Hiccup," she said firmly as she descended the staircase yet again, "if you don't start taking care of yourself, you'll be the next to go."

"What?" Hiccup exclaimed, nearly knocking over his bowl of porridge in surprise.

"You heard me." the healer crossed her arms and fixed him with a steel gray gaze that would make a stronger man than him run away in fear. "You haven't slept at all since Benen died, have you?"

"Well... yeah, of course I-"

"No." Astrid interrupted impatiently. "He's dozed off here and there but he won't relax."

Hiccup gave his wife an exasperated gaze made only more pathetic by the dark circles under his eyes. Mara cleared her throat loudly so that he would turn back to her.

"Right then," she said in a brisk voice, "you need to get to bed. I'm sure your wife can handle your duties for the day."

"Mara-"

"No arguments! I won't have you dropping dead from exhaustion. There's been enough tragedy." Mara insisted. "Go upstairs, draw the curtains, and get some sleep."

Astrid almost smiled at the chastised look on her husband's face as he obeyed the healer's orders. He looked like a child being punished for something. Mara, satisfied that the chief had done what she'd told him, turned to the Haddock matriarch with a frown.

"As for Finn, he needs to eat more." she said in a slightly softer voice. "He's already started losing weight."

"I've tried." Astrid sighed deeply, placing her head in her hands. "I take food up to him three times a day but he just nibbles at it no matter what I say."

"Grief is a difficult process." Mara put on her coat as she spoke. "And goodness knows he's going to need some more time. But he needs to keep up his strength."

"I know." Astrid mumbled. "But with him and Hiccup and Adri never being at home..."

Mara paused as she was adjusting her coat. Slowly, she sauntered forward and sat down next to the frazzled woman, who still didn't look up.

"I know things are difficult now." she said softly. "But you'll get through it. You always do." she smiled slightly at the words she knew were probably empty. "I know that's what everyone says. But I've watched you and Hiccup weather storm after storm. This one really is no different."

"I know." Astrid sniffled and did her best not to cry. There had been enough crying in the Haddock house over the last few weeks. "Easier said than done."

"I know." Mara replied, patting the woman on the arm. "But if you need someone to talk to, my door's always open."

"Thank you." Astrid looked up and gave her a small smile. "I really appreciate your patience."

"It's all part of the job." Mara gave her one last consoling pat on the arm before straightening up. "Now don't let Hiccup go to work today and make sure he sleeps until he starts to look almost human again." Astrid chuckled appreciatively at this. "And please don't let Finn lose any more weight. He'll waste away into nothing if he doesn't start eating properly."

Astrid nodded and watched as Mara let herself out, braving the freezing cold outside and shutting the door behind her rather forcefully. In the silence that followed, the former Hofferson thought about everything her family had gone through in the last decade. First with Adrianna's kidnapping, then Stoick's sudden death, then the duel that nearly killed her husband, then her own marital issues, then Finn's enslavement... life hadn't been easy for the family and she had a strong feeling that the next decade would bring with it many more problems to face and storms to endure. But as she mulled it over, she realized that she had matured a little bit with each difficulty her family had faced. She had learned to protect her children at all costs when her daughter had been taken. She had learned to cherish every moment she had with her family when her husband nearly died at Dagur's hand. She had learned patience with different learning styles through her struggles with Adrianna and patience with different coping mechanisms through her struggles with Hiccup. And, of course, she had learned to pay closer attention to the problems plaguing her young ones when Finn had run away and nearly been lost to them forever. Each new challenge brought with it something to be learned. Astrid knew this would be no different. But as she sat in the complete silence of her home, knowing full well that her daughter wouldn't be home for hours and her boys were both probably lying down and trying not to allow their dark thoughts to consume them, she wasn't sure what to do next.

* * *

Adrianna had never spent so much time at the library. Matilda had been rather pleased for the first few days before concern for the girl's well-being began to take over. The Haddock girl hardly ever spoke at all in her long hours of reading. She devoured one book after another until Matilda was beginning to think that she would run out of reading material. In fact, the only times Adrianna wasn't in the corner reading were for meals or when she was doing the random jobs she got around town watching other people's children while they did errands or got some much needed time alone with their spouses. The girl had always been a quiet presence in the library but never to this extent.

"Adrianna," Matilda said softly after a few weeks of this behavior, "if you need to talk to someone, you know I'm happy to listen."

"Why would I need to talk to someone?" Adrianna asked, not looking up from her book.

"It's just... you've been here every day for weeks and I thought-"

"I'm fine." the girl interrupted. "Really."

Lily, who was snoozing just behind her, gave Matilda a sad sort of coo that seemed to contradict her human's words. Matilda sighed and, deciding that Adrianna was old enough to make these sort of decisions herself, walked to the other end of the library to reorganize one of the shelves.

Adrianna, on the other hand, was now thoroughly distracted from her reading. The truth was that she _did_ need to talk to someone but Matilda, despite her efforts, simply wasn't the right person. She missed Erick so badly, she felt a constant ache in the pit of her stomach. But he still wouldn't speak to her and, honestly, she didn't blame him. So who _could_ she talk to? Wasn't there one person her age who would be willing to listen to what she had to...

The answer came to her so quickly, she almost dropped her book. Of _course_! How had she forgotten? Well, he might not be interested in her issues with Erick but at least he was upbeat and could make her smile. That had to count for something, right?

The Haddock girl wasted no time in hurrying over to a desk and pulling out a few sheets of parchment and a piece of charcoal. It had been a long time since she had written a letter to anyone outside of Berk but she knew Nyssa would have no trouble finding her intended recipient. After pausing a moment with her charcoal over the parchment, Adrianna began to write.

* * *

Mara had been right. She was always right. Hiccup awoke from his slumber feeling much better than he had in weeks. He rubbed his eyes, which felt much less baggy than before, and stretched before practically hopping out of bed to begin the day. Astrid, who was still half asleep beside him, moaned and rolled over, falling back to sleep instantly.

Feeling like he might as well continue in this pattern of taking care of himself, Hiccup dressed, ate a quick breakfast, and left for work. As he walked through town, he thought about his village and just how much rebuilding was still left. The physical projects were nearly finished; a few minor structures still needed some work but they could wait. But the forlorn expressions on some of his people's faces weren't easy to ignore. Hiccup had a feeling that he'd be doing a lot of comforting in the months to come. It was enough to make him wish his father were still around. Not that Stoick was very good at anything involving feelings but the responsibility was enormous and Hiccup, despite his age, still felt like a kid when things like this happened. He felt like there was nothing he could do to make it better, no matter how much he wished there were. Stoick had made this look so easy...

It was as Hiccup was mulling over his childhood and watching his father do his chiefly duties that he nearly ran headlong into a very exhausted looking Gobber.

"Watch where you're going!" Gobber exclaimed grumpily . "Nearly impaled you! You're lucky I hadn't sharpened this yet!" he held up a sword.

"Sorry." Hiccup held up his hands apologetically. "You okay? You look... frazzled."

"Caught on, have you?" Gobber smiled and shook his head. "I didn't mean to snap at you. I've been falling behind. Not as young as I used to be."

"Oh? Do you need some help?" Hiccup offered, falling in step with his former mentor on the way to the forge.

"I _always_ need help. Been doing okay since you left but these old muscles are starting to slow down. Can't do as much in a day as I used to." Gobber sighed.

"Sounds like you need an apprentice." Hiccup remarked. He suddenly stopped and stood rigid to the spot, his mouth slightly agape. And then his face broke into a smile. "Finn!"

"You really are losing it." Gobber chortled. "I'm Gobber, remember?"

"No, no, Finn! My son!"

"Yes, I am familiar with the lad."

"No, I mean Finn could be your apprentice!" Hiccup slapped a hand to his forehead, instantly regretting this action when a stinging sensation exploded in his palm. "Gobber please, he needs something to do. We can't stand him... walking around aimlessly and staring at the walls anymore. He needs something to do that will help him... I don't know, help him with _something_. Please Gobber-"

"Hiccup," Gobber placed his remaining hand on his former apprentice's shoulder, "I've needed an apprentice for a good, long time now. Of course, if he's willing..."

"I'll ask him as soon as I can." Hiccup sighed in relief. "This will be good for him. Make some money, do some work, he's always happiest when he's got something to do."

"I'd think he'd do just fine. Hey, where are you going?" Gobber called after Hiccup's retreating back.

"The sooner I get him out of the house the better!" Hiccup called. "Thanks, Gobber!"

Gobber stared open mouthed at his friend until he had disappeared. "Anytime." he remarked wryly before turning back to the forge.

Hiccup raced up the hill to his house, feeling a burst of energy that felt almost foreign to him. He forced himself to slow down so he didn't throw the door off its hinges. He made his way to the stairs, excited to give Finn the news-

He stopped. The chief held his hands out in a calming motion, willing himself to relax. Finn didn't need him barging in and rambling about something he probably wouldn't care about. Just like everything in the past few weeks, he needed to handle this delicately.

Hiccup resumed his trek up the stairs and walked to Finn's door. As usual, there was complete silence on the other side. Sadness crept back into his heart, but his determination to help his son won out. He wouldn't let this opportunity slip by because he was afraid of rejection.

Softly rapping his knuckles against the door, he called, "Finn? Can I come in?" He waited two breaths before opening the door and carefully stepping inside.

The bedroom was cluttered with clothing and random mementos from his son's various adventures. Finn sat in the far corner, his knees level to his chest and arms resting on them loosely. Finn continued to stare at the ceiling as if his father wasn't standing four feet away. The occasional blink was his only form of movement.

"Hey buddy," Hiccup tried, glancing at another plate of food sitting untouched on the desk. "I uh… I saw Helga and some of the other kids hanging out earlier. They wanted me to tell you that they miss you."

Finn made no attempts to move or respond. In fact, Hiccup wasn't sure if he'd even been heard. He remembered when they'd rescued Adrianna from Trista and when she didn't run into his arms like he'd hoped and assumed, finally he couldn't handle the stress any longer. He couldn't remember shutting down; that time was just an empty blur. Now, seeing his son in a similar state broke his heart and he wanted more than anything to break his stubborn will.

"Finn." Hiccup crouched in front of his son and looked him straight in the face. "Come on buddy, please look at me. Just… give me something so I know you're still there."

Nothing. Not even a flinch. Hiccup looked down at the floor, trying to decide what he should do. From the day he could crawl, Finn had always been active. Never before had he been this still for so long. He vaguely wondered if he should just hug his boy, maybe he'd snap out of it with physical contact… but he didn't want to lose any teeth. Finn could pack a mean reflexive punch whether he meant to or not.

He was tired of trying and getting no results. He was tired of failed attempts to get through to him, just to turn around and leave the room to try again later. It was a repetitive cycle and it was killing everyone. Even Adrianna seemed to be silently suffering with the house being so quiet. Everyone needed Finn's extra noise—it was a familial comfort, like the step- _thunk_ of his mismatched legs.

"I got you a job." Hiccup broke the silence again, glancing back up at Finn. His heart leaped when he saw a flicker of confusion on Finn's face: a short jerk of his eyebrows and downturn of his mouth, then he stilled again. Hiccup pressed on, "Gobber said he could use an apprentice and we both think you'd be great at it. I mean, if a shrimp like me can benefit from working there then I can only imagine how much good it could do you. Right?"

Finn began to look more confused by the second. His eyes moved slowly across the ceiling and he still made no moves to speak, but his father could see the gears turning in his head. "You can start whenever you feel ready. It's up to you. But I think… I think it would be great." Having said that, Hiccup waited for the cricket in the room to chirp. Finally he sighed and gave his son a small mile. "I love you, Finn. Things are going to get better. You'll see."

With that he stood, fought the urge to ruffle his son's hair, and turned toward the door. A quick glance at Finn as the door swung closed showed him still seated motionless in the corner. The door clicked shut and he sighed, hoping that he'd done something right.

As the door shut, Finn raised his head up from leaning against the wall. His neck groaned in protest but he ignored the pain. He began to notice all the little aches and pains in his body, particularly his back and rear end from sitting on the hard floor for so long. He let his arms flop to the floor beside him. Blinking slowly, he tried to process his father's words.

What had he said? He hadn't really heard most of it; it had sounded garbled and far away. But one word caught his attention, and curse his curiosity: job. His father had gotten him a job? At… the forge. With Gobber. The old guy was probably getting too senile to handle heavy weaponry anymore. He almost snorted. The old man would draw and quarter him with a scythe if he ever spoke that thought aloud.

But a job. That was good wasn't it? He could make some money, hang out with Helga and- and what?

Finn fought the urge to throw something. But there was nothing on hand and he'd have to yank a boot off before launching it at the door. Nah; too much work.

Got a job. Psh.

With a sharp exhale, Finn pulled himself to his knees and dragged his pillow from underneath his bed. He buried his face and didn't have a care in the world that his back was twisted at an awkward angle.

A sharp slam from somewhere in the house shook Finn awake. He heard a mumbled apology from his sister as she walked down the stairs. He groaned into his pillow, annoyed that his sister's room had the most drafts so occasionally her door would slam shut. Despite sleeping on the floor, he felt surprisingly rested. His heart still ached, but he felt more awake than he had in weeks.

He sat up and looked around his bedroom: clothes, weapons, and other random things were strewn everywhere. He wasn't typically a _neat_ person, but he liked some semblance of order so he knew where things were. Suddenly he had the urge to clean.

Within ten minutes he straightened his room to near perfection. He was just throwing his clothes in the hamper when he saw movement out of the corner of his eye and looked up to see…

His mirror. It wasn't very big and sat leaned against the wall on top of his dresser. The boy staring back at him looked _very_ unhealthy—he'd lost some weight recently, his long, fiery red hair desperately needed a wash and a cut, his freckled skin was pale and clammy. He reached a hand up to touch his face and he nearly gasped. He hadn't looked this terrible since-

Finn gulped. Since Maero.

Painful images flooded his mind, tempting him to succumb to the pain once more but he stamped them down. He squeezed his eyes shut and took a deep breath before glaring at himself in the mirror. This was ridiculous—he needed to get a grip on… something. He couldn't waste away in here until Ragnarok. He had to _do_ something. But he didn't feel up to hanging out with people. Not… not yet.

"The forge." Finn said aloud. He frowned at how weak his voice sounded from disuse and cleared it.

His father told him early that morning that he had a job at the forge with Gobber. At the time it sounded outrageous and stupid; he'd never leave the house again. But now it sounded like the best thing that had happened since… since he didn't know when.

Finn whipped around to grab his boots to leave, yanking them on in his sudden excitement, then he froze. He stared back at himself in the mirror and huffed loudly. "Well Finn," he yanked on his nearly shoulder length hair. "We've had better days."

Rummaging through a shelf in his dresser, Finn found a knife and began giving himself a haircut. It took a while and he figured it probably wasn't even, but he wasn't going to have his mother cut this disgusting mop for him. He'd caused her enough grief already. He wasn't about to force that _pleasurable_ experience on her.

Minutes later he surveyed the finished product and he stuck his tongue out at himself. His hair was now shorter than he could remember it being—still an inch long at the nape of his neck and choppy layers throughout. He hadn't originally planned for layers, but cutting everything at the same length was proving more difficult than he'd hoped. He wanted to run his hands through it to feel its length, but he needed a bath. _Badly._

Finding a towel and a change of clothes was easy enough. He opted to come back after his bath to sweep up his hair. He reached for the door handle and jumped when it swung open from the other side.

Astrid yelped in shock, staring open mouthed at her son standing in the doorway. She shook herself out of her stupor with a blink. "Finn!"

Finn blinked at her, unsure what to say. He hadn't actually spoken to anyone face to face in… he didn't actually want to think about how long.

"You're up!" Astrid stepped closer, her expression still shocked. "Your hair!"

"Needed a trim."

Again his mom's eyes widened in shock. He started to feel guilty that she was reacting this way. Had he really been that bad? "Um… well, yeah, maybe it did." Astrid tried for a smile but it came on like grimace instead. She glanced down at the items in his arms and he felt the need to explain.

"Washroom."

"O-oh, okay," Astrid replied as he walked past her. "Do you need anything? I can make you breakfast-"

"No thanks, mom. I'm… fine." Finn gave her a weak smile before descending the stairs.

Astrid stood in the doorway, staring at the last place he'd stood. She pointed at the spot as if to ask it if he'd really been there. The mother turned into the bedroom and gasped aloud. He'd actually _cleaned_! The room was spot- okay, _almost_ spotless. There was a distinct showering of clumpy red hair on the floor.

Nearly jumping in excitement, Astrid tromped down the stairs to get the broom. Even if he said he was fine, she still wanted to make him a bowl of oatmeal in case he decided to eat. She wouldn't push him to eat it but she'd try anyway. After nearly two and a half weeks of staring at walls, blank expressions, and night terrors, she couldn't believe Finn was finally coming around. It was beginning to seem hopeless.

Maybe after Finn (hopefully) ate she could take a flight into the village and find Hiccup. She didn't want to wait until dinnertime to tell him the good news.

* * *

Brandyn Anderson didn't know much about Terrible Terrors but he did know that they weren't usually so persistent. He tried to swat the rather vocal Terror away from his head but she continued to squawk and hold out her foot, looking thoroughly irritated with him. It was like she thought he was slow on the uptake... actually...

"Have you got a letter attached to your foot?" Brandyn asked incredulously. He knew Terrors were used as messengers but who on earth would be writing to _him_? The red dragon stuck out her foot again with a noise that sounded like an exasperated huff. "All right, all right, don't get your skivvies in a twist." he mumbled to the reptile as he untied the note. "What have we got here?"

His dark blue eyes scanned the parchment suspiciously, almost like he thought it might explode, before opening it and looking inside. The handwriting that met his eyes was tiny and untidy, almost like it had been scribbled out in a hurry. But the words were clear enough that he didn't have any difficulty reading them.

_Dear Brandyn,_

_I know we don't know each other very well but I didn't know who else to talk to. It's all right if you don't want to send letters but we really hit it off when we met a few weeks ago and I really want a friend right now. A close family friend of ours died not too long after we got back and, on top of all that, my best friend and I kind of had a falling out. I think he'll come around someday but... goodness, I don't want to dump all this on you now. I was hoping we could just... be friends? Maybe? Dad said you were thinking about moving to Berk and we'd love to have you. Think about it, anyway._

_Your friend (hopefully),_

_Anna_

Brandyn smiled widely. So the Hooligan chief's daughter wanted to be friends? Excitement began to rise in his chest as he grabbed the closest piece of charcoal to reply to her letter. She had been funny, bright, and adorable. And the Outcast girls... weren't.

_Dear Anna,_

_I'd love to be friends. And you can talk to me about anything. I'll try to listen or, you know, read as closely as I can. Don't listen to what stupid people like your old friend say. You're pretty special. I really look forward to getting to know you._

_Ever yours,_

_Brandyn_

Brandyn read over his note three times before tying it to the dragon's leg and setting her free. Though he knew it was probably a bit presumptuous of him to think it, he liked a challenge and the Haddock girl certainly presented one. A pretty young lady like that would not be won easily, especially if the best friend she'd fallen out with was this Erick fellow. But Brandyn also knew that he was clever and charming. Perhaps this would be a fun challenge to work on while he waited to come of age. Then again, he had a year and a half. _Anything_ could happen in that amount of time.

* * *

Finn shoved his hands through his hair with a sigh of contentment. He couldn't remember when he'd had a haircut last, but he decided the feeling of soft, fluffy, newly cut hair had to be somewhere towards the top of the "greatest feels" list. Not that he'd admit that to anyone else.

Even though he'd told his mother that he was fine, he actually ate most of the oatmeal she'd prepared. He wasn't sure what was more surprising—that he actually ate most of it or that he didn't eat all or more of it. On any given day he'd eat three bowls of it with nuts _and_ berries.

He felt pretty good. The walk to the barn to visit Thornado opened his lungs up and the chilly wind blew against his cheeks. A final glance in the mirror showed a pink tint to his skin from his bath, which improved his mood. Now he didn't look like he was about to keel over.

The teenager could still feel the deep sadness in his chest but he forced himself not to focus on it. He forced any trigger words out of his mind. Luckily Thornado's pen was already open for him to come and go as he pleased, so he didn't have to go inside the barn. Walking to it alone was enough to give him goosebumps, and not from the cold.

With a silent huff, Finn looked toward the village. Everything seemed peaceful, but in fact, he dreaded showing his face. The last time everyone had seen him, he'd been in near shambles. He hadn't stepped foot outside since his father and Toothless apparently carried him home. His mother had been terrified they'd have to cut a few of his toes off from frostbite, but there was no damage. Furthermore, he hadn't spoken to anyone in weeks. He'd gotten a short kiss from Helga the day he left Mara's and they sat with Thorein and Cale and some of the other kids. But after _it_ happened, he hadn't talked to anyone. No one sought him out. At the time he'd been glad that all of his friends backed off, but now he honestly wondered what was going on. His dad said they missed him, but even Helga hadn't shown up to check on him. Not that he would've responded anyway, but it was the thought that counted. Right?

Finn scratched Thornado's brow a final time. "All right big guy," The teenager sighed. "Better late than never."

Thornado followed his young human toward the village, sniffing the salty sea air wafting in from the coast. He kept a close eye on Finn, who kept his eyes downcast as he walked. He seemed to be doing better than the last time they'd seen each other, but he could still tell the difference in behavior. He wanted his vivacious, confident little Stoick back.

The closer they got to the village, the more agitated Finn felt. He wasn't sure if it was nervousness or anxiety, but the thought of being in the public eye unnerved him. He quickened his steps as he entered the village, cursing the fact that the forge was the farthest from his house. He weaved through the small streets between houses to avoid people, picking his way past carts and barrels and hay bales.

Finally he ran out of options and he had to walk through a street. People bustled to and fro like any other day, oblivious to the self-conscious teenager trying to run through unnoticed. He wasn't far from the forge now. He wondered what Gobber would teach him first. Would he start by sharpening swords or melting steel? Or would the old codger just have him dust the shelves and wash his skivvies? He wanted to believe that was just a rumor, but Helga was insistent her mother and uncle had had to do such a heinous thing after one particular prank… yeah, he didn't want to know what kind of prank deserved _that_ sort of punishment.

His father had worked as apprentice at the forge for years. Various inventions and machines were still used day in and day out as a result of Gobber's tutelage and his father's innovation. Finn almost wished he'd talked to his father before going to the forge, but he wasn't going to scour the village for the man. He could be anywhere.

If Finn weren't so miserable, he might have been excited. He liked hard, physically demanding work and he knew he'd probably be taking a majority of it with Gobber's muscles starting to fail. It was a hopeful prospect to say the least and it was enough to keep his head up and his mind comparatively clear. He noticed several glances in his direction as he strode through the village square but he determinedly ignored them. He was here for one job and one job only. Nothing would get in the way.

Except Inga. Then again, it seemed second nature for her to find a way to irritate him to no end. Finn nearly ran into the girl when she came out of seemingly nowhere and blocked his path.

"What are you doing here?" Finn asked in a suspicious voice, raising an eyebrow at her.

Inga held up a plate of what looked like beige colored blobs. "I'm here to raise morale."

"By showing people your rock collection?"

"Hardy har har." Inga rolled her eyes. "They're cookies, stupidhead."

"I'm pretty sure I know what cookies look like." Finn crossed his arms.

"Well it's my first time making them so they don't _look_ perfect but since when do you demand perfection?" Inga held the plate closer to his face.

"You know, an assassination attempt on a future chief is punishable by death."

"I'm not _assassinating_ you!" Inga growled, her cheerful smile melting into a frown. "It's not like I poisoned them. Why would I do that?"

"Hey, if you take out the Haddock clan, the Jorgensons take power. You have motive, means, opportunity, and you can cry on command, I've seen you do it. Feigning innocence would be easy." Finn condescendingly patted her on the head. "Thanks but no thanks. I'd like to see my 17th birthday."

"Just take a freaking cookie!" Inga snapped.

"No."

"Darn it, Finn, I worked really hard on these!" Inga stuck out her lower lip in a pout.

"Awwww... I literally just said I know you can cry on command so put a sock in it." Finn narrowed his eyes at her. He'd forgotten how much fun it was to antagonize her. And the best part was that it seemed to be second nature, an instinct that wouldn't go away no matter what he was feeling. He liked it. "I'll be late for work so if you don't have any more attempts on my life planned..." he began to stride away with his hands in the air.

"Fearless Finn Haddock, you are... you..." Inga gritted her teeth and stomped her foot in agitation, making Finn smile wider.

She grabbed a cookie off the plate and pitched it at him. He effortlessly caught it.

"Well considering how hard these are, I'd say if you hit me the right way, I could die. Weak attempt but hey, I'm feeling generous today. I'll give it a 6." Finn chortled at the red shade that was beginning to envelope the Jorgenson girl's face.

He left her to her irritated growls, laughing for the first time in weeks. He would never say it to her face, but he was just starting to enjoy her company. They weren't _friends_ exactly but he found himself with an odd sort of affection for her. An affection strong enough for him to cave and take a bite of the cookie she'd made.

 _Well_ , he thought as his teeth nearly broke, _there's one thing we don't have in common_. He turned back to announce this when his insides turned to ice. The moment he lay eyes on her, she suddenly collapsed stiffly, her plate shattering and cookies flying in all directions. Again, her muscles seized, her mouth frothed, her eyes fluttered and rolled around aimlessly.

"INGA!"

Heather and the twins were running up; the Jorgenson matriarch threw a hand in front of both boys to stop them from touching their sister. Benen's words echoed through Finn's mind as he watched a small crowd gather around the seizing girl. A feeling of panic rose through him and he felt his legs go out. He fell heavily on Thornado, who helped him stand again.

And then suddenly the feeling returned to his legs and, almost of their own accord, he turned and ran away from the scene. He could hear his breath coming in short gasps as he hurtled toward the forge, desperately trying to get the sight of Inga's twitching form out of his mind.

Finn ran into the forge, skidding around a wall and shoving his back against a hanging rack. His heart pounded in his chest like a drum and he felt his anxiety rising by the second. He finally got here and Thornado took off somewhere, he couldn't break down now-

"Well hi there." Finn jumped as he caught sight of Gobber walking in from the back room, a hammer attachment on his hand prosthetic. If the elderly man noticed the boy's oncoming panic attack, he didn't comment on it. "So ya want to learn the ropes of the forge, eh? Nice haircut by the way."

The teenager gulped, running a hand through his hair. He could feel his hand shaking. "Ahh…" Finn exhaled heavily, trying to get some kind of grip.

"Finn. Look at me."

The boy looked at Gobber nervously and saw only compassion. "If ya want to work here, ya need to focus. You don't need to be losing any limbs. At least not yet." Gobber smirked. "But if ya don't feel ready yet it's fine, we can-"

"No." Finn wiped the sweat off his upper lip and nodded shakily. "Ah… I'm fine."

Gobber nodded swiftly. "All right then. Come 'ere. First things first: always wear an apron. I don't care how old you are, if I find you working in here without an apron on… well, ask your father what the consequences are."

The elderly man was quick to give instruction and often used biting sarcasm and overly exaggerated stories in random places of the conversation, but Finn found it comforting. He was able to forget about the incident with Inga enough to focus on his words, although he did feel a bit of relief when he noticed Inga shakily walking past the forge with Heather and her brothers at her side.

Within half an hour, Finn was sweating. Within a full hour, Gobber had taught him a huge portion of the trade: how to stoke the fires and clean the tools (because the key to a good forge is its hot fires and clean tools), sharpen swords (because the key to a good bloody battle is its sharp swords), and pound the kinks and dents out of bent weapons. Good gods, how did his father work for this guy for nearly twenty years?

"'ere ya go, Finn." Gobber dropped an armful of bent swords, daggers, arrows and other dull weapons. "Sharpen those til you could cut a chicken in half."

Finn inspected a dull arrowhead. "Literally?"

Gobber cuffed him on the head, making the boy smirk a little. "Your father said the same thing, but he was younger. I don't know what's worse, a snarky 12-year-old or his snarky son over twenty years later. I'll be back in a bit to check on ya; don't burn the place down."

"You didn't leave the skivvies over the fire, did you?"

"I learned my lesson!"

Finn bit back a laugh and hefted a mighty sword that looked like it had weathered a yak stampede. He heated the metal until he knew it was ready for pounding. The blade was bent and he fiddled with it on the anvil for a few seconds, trying to get a proper angle. The first swing was awkward and sparks flew. Now he was thankful for the apron. The second swing burned his hand, but he forced himself to keep going. The next few swings were better, though his hand felt like it was both on fire and vibrating. He already couldn't wait until he was used to this.

Something about pounding the metal awakened something inside of him and he began to hit the sword with quick, fluid strikes. His arms grew steadily tired but he decided that it was a good feeling after sitting idle for so long. The misshapen sword was stubborn and didn't want to bend, but he was more stubborn. He would pound this thing all night until it was straighter than his mother's teeth.

But there was something else. He felt something rise in his chest, something hot and burning. He paused to see if a spark had landed on his shirt, but there was nothing there. The feeling didn't pass. Finn stared at the anvil and the sword and hammer in his hands. Were his ears ringing from the banging… or something else?

Without another thought, he set the sword again and continued to pound it. The more he pounded, the more intense the feeling became. He racked his brain trying to decide what this feeling was. Confusion? Anxiety? Panic? Desperation? He felt swirls of these things but this… this was different.

It was searing hot. It was deep and cutting. It was unforgiving and relentless.

Finn was _angry._

Instantly so many reasons for this new emotion flooded his mind. He was angry at himself for not being more careful at the barn. If he'd paid better attention to the roof and crumbling structure, Benen would still be here. This whole thing could have been prevented from the very start. He was angry at his father for not coming sooner, heck, for _allowing_ them to go to the barn in the first place. He'd been on the fence about letting them go before they left; why hadn't he done the _chiefly_ thing, like he usually did, and say no? He was angry that Inga had gone to get the stupid ingredient and had gotten hurt as a result, and he was even angrier that the adults, especially Mara and her parents, had allowed her to go. He was angry at the villagers for their false sympathy and pointless gifts that were somehow meant to make him feel better. He was angry at Benen for stealing his heart and leaving him shattered and broken when he was needed the most. And most of all he was angry at himself for appearing weak. No, not appearing weak. _Being_ weak.

Sitting on the floor in his room for so long he couldn't remember when he'd talked last? Weakness. Allowing this grief to consume him for so long? Weakness. Turning tail when Inga collapsed in another fit because he couldn't handle it? _Weakness_.

If Finn hated anything more than cruelty, it was weakness.

Fueling his anger, he thought back to his short time as a slave. That evil man Javan selling him to slave traders, the traders stripping him and branding him like a common animal, Ratri beating him until blood poured down his shoulders for not scrubbing a foul, pigpen of a floor properly, scrubbing said floors until his fingers bled.

The world was cruel. The world was wicked. It kept the wicked and took the good. It snatched love and goodness away from people and replaced it with hate and bitterness. If love was only to ever end in pain and suffering, just as it always had for his sister, why would he want it? If that's what love meant, then he _didn't_ want it.

"Love is weakness." Finn growled at the sword, slamming the hammer into the body of the sword. "Only the strong can survive."

Forcing himself to ignore the burning pain of his _weak_ muscles, he pounded the sword a final time until it cracked down the center. The end of the sword clanged to the floor as he panted heavily. Turning, he dumped the remaining half of the sword into a scrap bin to be melted down. Glaring out the back door toward the ocean, Finn grasped the necklace tied around his neck, the last gift Benen had ever given him. Using it as his fuel, he would never fall this far and hard again. He would be strong. He would be fearless.

" _Fortis_."

* * *

_This is Berk_

_Relationships are the foundation of our community. We constantly rely on in the promises of others for survival. Without dependence on one another, our whole way of life disintegrates._

_Though having faith in people is not easy, trusting those you love the most can be a challenge and, once in a while, we promise too much. After the hardships of betrayal, you can become protective of yourself. Blinded by pain, you shove the ones you love away, and with no one to turn to, set up yourself for a lifetime of loneliness._ _And by pushing away your loved ones, you cause more pain to yourself than from those who hurt you._

_An unintended consequence of this mindset is that you may be shoving away the people who love you the most just because we let you down... even if by mistake. You reject the people who care enough about you to beg for forgiveness and do everything we can to restore your confidence. And so, in the process, you end up breaking more hearts than just your own._

* * *

**THE END**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things have escalated. The next story, Growing Pains, will deal with Finn and his new resolution. It is also the last completed story I can offer you, since story 8 is still in the works. Let me know what you think!


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